The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-14
Ships BACK FROM war GAME.
REAR ADMIRAL SANDS TELLS
WHAT THE NAVY DID.
And the Arm, TYidnt Accomplish An Im
Friends said u hid Splinter AIDS
IN Capture Of . Garrisor--HhS War.
shIDs strike <DH the Matn0 Coast.

Friends said u lid 4 Splinter Aids
In Capture Of q d;arrisaN-HhS War.
shlps strike ar the Maino Coast.
Four batticshipe and cruiser OF the North
Atlantic squadron came into the 1omp-
pkinsville anchorage yesterday under com
mand of Rear Admiral Barker and will
remain for some time They are the Kear-
sarge, Admiral Barksr's flagship, the Texas.
with Rear Admiral Sands: the Alabama.
the Illinois and the Chicago. They came
from the target ranges. south Of Gay
Head. where most of them have been since
the war game was played on the Maine
coast.
Rear Admiral Barker was occupied yes-
terday, making out the reports Of the tar
get practice to send to Washington, and
was not able TO sec any one. Rear Ad-
miral Sands was at liberty, however. He
declined to talk about he lessons Of the
war games, but he disclose an interesting
store Of amusing and inst ructive incidents
of the recent work Of the ships
Not very much has been heard Of the
navy's side of the attack on Portland.
According TO the rules of the game the
ships we're cut OF from all land commune
cation, and although there were reporters
with the feet they were rot allowed to send
any informal ion Ashore. The army, on
the other hand. not only had Possession Of
the telegraph lines, but was tremendously
popular in Portland and the adjacent towns
and had almost monopoly of the attention
Of the observers Of the game as spectacle.
This, Admiral Sands said yesterday,
was no more than fair. inasmuch az the
game was really for tho particular in
struction and development OF the amy
in coast defence operations. The 6avy
can simulate coast force by landing ma
rines and jackies; it can simulate rival sea
forces by dividing fleet and sending the
two halves against each other just es the
army can get inland practice by dividing
it's forces But the army has no way OF
devising an imitation of an invading fleet
for practice purposes,
The navy took cognizance OF this in it's
work and did great many things Admiral
Sands said, which it would never have
done in proceeding against a real enemy,
merely for the sake OF diversifying the
practices Of the army. These demonst ra-
tions, tho Admiral confessed. laughingly
led to results which were hailed ashore as
disastrous defeats for the navy, and even
some Of the legitimate naval work was
not always appreciated by the laymen.
-One night" said the Admiral "a boat
expedition was sent in ito capture the
enemy's reserve ammunition stores at
Fort Gorges The expedition went in
four miles through the enemy's lines with
out attracting the slightest attention.
reached the ammunition station and was
practically in it before the sentry on duty
was alarmed. He started on the run for
the barracks to get out the garrison. Our
people had carried along Splinter just
to overhaul that sentry, and he did. He
grabbed him from behind, throttled him,
threw him down and sat on him. The
men from the boats then made for the
tents and sheds, and as the garrison came
out, officers and men. they were made
prisoners, unarnied as they were. 1t was
q complete capture.
when all this was practically over, the
telephone In the fort rang. The army
of,0sr in CON Command started for " Our man
No. ~ said. not yet, if You please.
rest Of the place. You mustn't use it with
out permission. Now tell me: Do you ac-
knowledge that we have captured this
place? Do YOU admit that we could blow
It all to kingdom come if We wanted to3
"Yes,' said the army man. I've got to
admit it,"
"'Thcn, said our man to him, you may
70 to the telephone and give Col. Mills my
Compliments and tell him that this place
has been ca ured and all his reserve ammu-
milton blown up.
"Then, as is usual when one phase Of the
evolutions has been completed, our men
lighted up their launches. lighted their pipes
ease The forts Immediately opened up
on them and kept on firing at them all the
way out of the harbor Our people. OF
course, paid no attention to this fire, but
later We heard that the published account
Of what was really rather creditable piece
Of naval work was described as a night at
tack on an unimportant outpost, from which
the navy was driven on ny heaVy nre
from the forts.
ut was very amusing, that loyalty cf the
! shore folks 10 their defenders, but, OF course
it does not afyec. the final result Of the
maneuvres. which will be determined
by the boards Of umPires and digested
| naval forces"
The recent target practice OIL No Man s
| Land. the Admiral said, showed a remark
| able increase in the efficiency Of the men
behind the guns. The present regulations
for target practice are very stringent.
Buoys are placed for the guidance OF the
ships 80 that they cannot edge UP on the
targets. and the results are watched by
FIVE umpires from other ships. The Texas
| still has the old gun mounts and sighting
apparatus, and the difference in the ef.
| fectveness OF fire between the Texas end
! the other ships which have the new equip
! ment was described as remarkable.
Under the new system the gun is kept
| steadily pointed at the target and the aim
| is not interrupted for any part Of the pre- c.
! ess of firing or loading. As a result,
! Admiral Sands. said, he observed that the
5-inch guns of the Kcarsarge were fired
| with rapidity comparable to that OF a
| rapid fire s-pounder, and with an &C
c,iracy that was really startling. The
| Texas is going into the yards to have her
mounts chan ged at once.
Speaking Of the looks Of the fleet. which
! to a landlubber's eyes seemed as neat and
spotless as a warship always is, Admiral
Sands said:
n I'VE ought to get results from the sort of
wor; we have been doing for of course