The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-22
GRIM NAVAL WAR GAME
Admiral Higginson Waits for the
Enemy 10 Strike.
TIE HOSTILE VESSELS DISAPPEARED
The Port Defenders Have Their Nerves
Strained for the Conflict that
Is to Come.

Rochport. Mass August y At midnight
.Mity'SiN hours had passed NJ the possible
~ Tor the naval conflict between the M
. lacking squadron I'm charge Of Commando
| fHlSbuIN and The defending squadron. com
! manded by Rear Admiral Hisginsop THE
=" ming Of anotuer day was recorded hut
the anticipated meeting between the hostile
neetS had not come TO pass. After day
| which bad been on the Whole devoid OF sen
sationS, the night, thick aud cloudy as It
was With the moon quite obscured dc.
Neloped SO many confusing situations and
/ SO many extraordinary reports that tho
! Aigginson squadron had Jnst cause for M.
easlness Somehow the feeling grew that
II would not be such difficult attainment
| after al for the three auxiliary cruisers of
| the White squadron to slip IN ana anchor
| az some harpor protected rs they would
| vailed
Perhaps the greatest danger which came
! 70 Admiral Hisginson was that OF yielding
| 70 the temptation To withdraw the kcar-
sarge and leave only the Alabama aud the
Massachusetts, to go In search OF the enemy
! reported on apparently reliable authority TO
have been sighted at eitncr this point or
We're, IN fact, made.
In the early part-c- rn~ night the = atlou
on the Is c OF Shoals notified the nearest
lu"lHloHu poihl ny tne use or tOrCnes anu
the secret code of the navy tina, a large.
strange, two-masted craft had been sighted
[ outside the shoals. Admiral Higgnsous
wonderful system OF signals worked TO per
| lection Almost In a moment e seemed the
destroyer Decatur was rocketed from
Portsmouth to pursue the mysterious conner
and IN another moment the Decatur, with
he smoke beching from her four great
stacEs, was blowing turiousy Through the
heavy seas. The stranger turned and fed
at fuu speed and this fact led TO the
decision that she may have been one or
the attacking fleet passing onward ON scout
duty At late hour the Decatur had
made no report.
At II O'Clock came naother report OF n
strange ship sighted south of Eastern POINT
Light, Gloucester. Admiral higginson at
once ordered the torpedo boat Bagley to
Investigate, but the Bagley found 60 her
surprise that IL was the cruiser Brooklyn,
which had come down from her northern
station pursuant to the privilege extended
by Admiral HigGinson.
The reason that the admiral steadfastly
refused to leave his anchorage in the har-
hor here was that he dared not leave Rock
advantage of needless passage Of the de
Tending battleshlps to another port, might
easily creep in and drop anchor Y
The complications which developed tonay,
In the shape OF undoubted news that Com
mander Pillsbury had secretly landed some
of his officers ashore to spy upon the move.
ments Of the Blue Squadron, served only to
glnsons position. and this reported shore
system Of spying was one OF the things
which led the admiral TO establish the new
signal station OFF Straltsmouth Point ana
also to remove his ships early In the even.
Ing 10 point Just inside Thatcners island. !