The Van Buren press., 1902-12-13
THE WHITE FLEETS VICTORY.
Rear-AdmiraI Sumner, with "rhe Enemy
Wins the First Problem of the
Naval Maneuvers.

Naval Maneuyers.
Mayaguez, Porto Rico. Dec. lO.-A
notable victory was achieved tins
morning by Admiral Sumner, in com
mand of the White squadron, with
the Iowa, Illinois, Albany and Chica-
go.
He captured Mayaguez without re-
sistance at COG Tuesday morning and
Immediately mined the harbor. The
Nashville and Eagle subsequently en-
tered the channel and reported that
the Atlanta and San Francisco had
last been seen off Ponce and that per-
haps they had been oyertaken.
Admiral Summers victory was due
TO the careful execution of his plans
At Trinidad he directed the white
squadron to proceed to a point within
a circle, within a radius of 720 miles
the center of which was latitude 10
and longitude As. The white squad
ron was reported 10 Admiral Higgin'
son. commanding the blue, or oppos-
ing squadron, at six o'clock on the
afternoon of December 5. Admiral
Summers objective was Mayaguez'
Guayanilla, Ponce, Ensenada OF
Culebra.
Under the rules the white squad
ron viii win if IL entered the port
selected and worked for one hour
LAYING mines before the arrival OF a
blue squadron so per cent superior
or if il entered its harbor and com
pleted the work of mining before the
arrival of blue squadron double ITS
strength. The white squadron would
lose if it were intercepted by su'
perior force at sea or within one
hour after having anchored in the
port selected.
Summers Plan OF Action.
While at Trinidad, Admiral Sumner
found that Admiral Crowninshield'
commanding the European squadron
with which the South Atlantic squad
ron combined, had prepared a plan
of procedure similar to his own. Hav'
ing ascertained that the Nashville, At
lanta. San Francisco and Eagle were
slow, Admiral Crowninshield suggest
ed that upon the arrival of the squad
ron within the curve these vessels be
detached and ordered to proceed, de-
ploved as scouts,b by the nearest course
10 point 100 miles south of the east
end Of Porto Rico and the north to
point 20 miles southeast Of Ponce
"The great aim of these scouts,
Admiral Sumner announced, us 10 de-
ceive the enemy as TO the where
abouts and intention Of the remain
der Of the squadron; they should
make use Of every possible means to
attract and draw away to the east
ward any force Of the enemy guard
ing the western end Of Porto Rico
Having accomplished this object, the
scouts are 10 disappear from the cir
Gle and rush the harbor OF Mayaguel
at daylight Of December 81
The Line of Battle.
The white squadron sailed from
Trinidad the morning OF December 4
The Iowa, Albany, Illinois and Chi
cago, forming an indented column
left the remainder of the squadron
and steamed at the rate of IL knots
an hour to latitude l440; longitude
57.24, which point they reached at SIX
o'clock on the afternoon Of Decem'
Der ). The four vessels then steamed
north in line with the islands, On
December S, the Iowa, Albany, llN
nois and Chicago ran parallel with
the north shore Of Porto Rico until
directly north Of the Mona passage
when they turned to the south with
the intention Of making Santo Do
mingo, sneaking along the shore OF
that island and making a dash across
the Mona passage under forced
draught to Mayague2
The scouts Were Lnte,
In view OF the average speed OF l3,l
knots an hour, II was not feasible "a
make n greater detour, Some Of the
officers Of the white squadron desired
to enter Mayaguez at once, but TO this
Admiral Sumner was opposed. When
entering the Mona passage, at two
o'clock Tuesday morning, the squad
ron stopped for short time, No blue
scouts were sighted until dawn
glowed In the east; then the Olympia,
Cincinnati, Detroit and Montgomery
were seen. These yssels had been
scouting on the north shore Of Porto
Rico. II Is remarkable that they
failed to sight the white squadron,
especially as the night was clear and
there was half moon until one
o'clock.
An preparations Tor mining the
harbor had been made when the four
vessels Of the white squadron dropped
their anchors In Mayaguel harhor at
q minutes past six Tuesday morning.
A DEpL0RABLE ACCIDENT.
A Mother and Her Three Children
itnn Down ana kiiled by n
Hnilrond Train,