New-York tribune., 1903-08-24
WAR TINES OFF MAINE.
PORTLAND FEARS ATTACK.
General Chafee, in Command,
Matches admiral Barker's Fleet.
Ipv TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1RuSE. ]

Matches admiral Barker'S Fleet.
TRv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIRUNEl
Portland, Ne. Aug 23-Not since the days
.. ,be war. when phantom Spanish fleets drove
e1een from the eyes Of Portland's citizens, has
.ta Maine coast known such martial times as
now prevau on the eve Of the great army and
navy n1anauvres. Major General A r. Chaffee.
commanding the Department Of the East, ar
lived here to-day 10 find a sturdy garrison Of
o-1v four thousand men, including twenty
.f,b+ companies Of coast artillery and regi-
,,erts OF volunteers from Massachusetts and
arsire as well as two companies Of the Signal
Corrs OF the New-York National Guard. New
Wi, ritv's contribution TO the defence Of this
,brestened city. With General Chaffee were
.s,,,,srt General Thomas H. Barry. who will
.ct az ffth arbitrator in the great war game.
sr6 Colonel z. 4. Darlington. Later in the day
- Kanawha. the yacht from which the general
,riI1 ,iA,y the manpuvres came into port
war has already been declared, as goes the
,,..aeearv fiction which supplies plot for the
erear war game. The enemy. a hostile fleet
comma pded by. Rear Admiral Barker, who raises
his flag on one Of the most powerful fleets ever
.ssevolled in Eastern waters has sailed for
This coast. and may reach here by Tuesday
,igb+ War is run by time table here. and the
sr77, Is now putting the final touches on the de-
fences. channels are provided with dummy
,t,.s that ring their presence like an alarm
clock when the fated ship comes too near, and
.ba 7rbola artillery district is brought up to a
4qb-ing basis While in point Of fact prepara-
g., baran for these uannUvres six months ago.
80 5igniAed and serious generals are play
,r,.. that II only began tonight, when from no
.ters came the news Of the approach OF the
hostile feet, two days sail from the Maine
coast
THE WAR GAME.
The war game this year promises to be sim
pier. less confusing to the civilian, little less
spectacular than the great game at Newport
and the eastern entrance to Long Island Sound
last wear In the first place. there is only one
set q fortincations concerned. In the second
there is 10 line Of batteries TO run. 1t is to be
simply the attack of a huge fleet upon this the
most northern of the fortified places on the At
lantic Coast with the idea of>capturing it, after
reducing its fortifcauons. There is no dash by.
no attempt 10 steal into New-York unobserved.
Promptly at the beginning of the actual fight
ing tire. Admiral Barker's fleet will seize base
Of orerations. as 1t did at Block Island last year
Pockland it IS expected will be captured and
from this base the move viii be made against
Portland. There will be night attack, day
attack and perhaps a land attack
When the lighting is all over it will be inde-
cisive All the magnificent battles Of the last
rnanpuvres resulted in decision. The UNI
uires met and wrote opinion, but never at
tempted to award laurels. To try both the
army and navy In a grand war game for the
sake of giving vaIua' i. experience to both is the
purpose Of both sides
after all. IT isn't a football game" said one
If the most prominent Of the officers who took
part in last years maneuvres. to The Trib-
une correspondent to-day. "It is a test Of per-
sonneI and material of effectiveness of prepara-
ton and Of the readiness for action of an artil-
lery district The matter Of points and victory
is minor, and will presently be dropped, for
don't you see. it's absurd to think that points
could estimate real happenings in war
GENERAL CHAFFEE's VIEW
i regard the most important feature Of the
rnaneuvres as the placing Of the artillery dis
trict in which the manRuvres take place in COM
plete and permanent readiness for war" said
Major General Chafee he examined the
forts and camps critically from the deck of q
steamer this afternoon. ITO place these new
forts IN q permanent state Of efficiency is, per-
hans. the greatest benefit, as we'll as the testing
of the fire control and other systems that car
only be tested by such actual trial"
Accordingly al best. the war game this yeal
promises TO be a careful and thoroughly practi-
None the less there viii be a fine booming ot
cannon, a prodigal burning of powder, and
hotels that were emptied when Cervera started
eastward five years ago are filing with hun
dreds anxious TO see the great ships in act on
It is not unlikely that some Of these canny
Town Casters owning advantaPeousy p'acec
Islands viii advertise box seats at Unce Sans
terrible terrific and tragic circus. with
only the press agent eliminated.
The New-York and Brooklyn Signal Corps
hoys the first company. commanded by Cap.
tain Oscar Erlandsen and Lieutenant J. Pot
ter. and the second by Lieutenant El'io+t Bige
low. r., and II. Santo're, res ectively are spend
ing the night ~ Fort Prebe az d wi Re scattered
over the islands tomorrow. The volun eer sol
diers are much pleased With General Chaffoei
comment as he looked at the companies drawn
up in marching order. "A fine body of men
indeed" said the general and tonight they
feel almost Ike regulars.
General Cha fee said that Coonel W. F. Stew
at. of Fort Hancock. New-York, Will su"caeJ
Colonel Mills As the commando IF the mil ar
posts in and a bout Portland within a month o
So or as soon the New-York troops har
~eturn 20 their home posts.