New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-26
ATTACK ON PORTLAND.
THREE WARSHIPS SUNK.
Conflict Opens This Morning 7cith a
Shot from Fort LeUett.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

[BY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.l
Portland. Me. Aug. 26.-Two 6-nch guns at
Fort Levett on Cushings Island. opened the
conflict at 1915 O'Clock this morning by firing
signal shot The guns in all the forts were in
stantly manned and the searchlights focused on
the channel No further shots were fired and no
report has yet been made of the firing.
The searchlights at II 80 p. m. trained
on a warship approaching the harbor entrance,
and the batteries at Fort William began
heavy cannonade In a few moments three
ships were destroyed by shots from and 13
inch guns. Other warships can be seen outside
the harbor.
Portland Me. Aug. 25-Behind the curtain
of fog that an easterly gale is driving down the
coast a mighty fleet is menacng Portland to-
night. Already the vigiant Signal Corps has
sighted the ships at anchor on the coast a few
miles distant, and within a few hours the guns
of the forts will be booming their greeting to a
hostile force. In the mortar pits along the
parapets and beside the great guns hundreds Of
eager soldiers are sleeping. exposed to the bit
ter storm. ready 10 jump to their stations at
moments warning.
Dimly through the fog the great searchlights
striving to illuminate the entrance, but the
fog is dense. and Admiral Barker's armada has
an ideal night for its attack Shiyering sentri-s
are patrolling many miles of the bleak coast
ready TO welcome any landing party, and the
winding passages of the harbor sown with
mines.
At the stroke Of midnight the game be
gins or in the language of the game this is
the hour at which the fleet sighted two days
ago. can arrive. There is not one of the four
thousand officers and men of the garrison who
is not confident that Rear Admiral Barker will
aiI cd
by the storm and the fog, which completely veil
his movements 1t is sailors weather
1t was on this kind Of night that Rear Admiral
Higginson last year stole swiftly into the
and passed the batteries long before they had
picked him up and disabled his fleet; That Bar
ker will repeat the trick is the general belief
here. Another operation that the fleet is likely
to make is to seize a base of operations
FLEET IS SIGHTED.
At sunset the signal corps had located the
feet off Seguin Island, at the mouth of the
Kennebec River. From there the warships may
make dash back 20 Rockland. into Boothbay
or into Sheepscott Bay. Two gunboats could do
this, and in the mean time the great battleships
could send their first shells against Portland.
But Admiral Barker and not the strategists of
the army Will decide this He will come when
he chooses. as BELTS enemy. but the terror
stricken people of this Maine metropolis do not
mean TO be caught in their beds The Mayor
has arranged that the fire alarm shall sound the
warning when the fleet is sighted. and the boom
of cannon. the sound of the fire gongs and the
roar OF steam whistles promise to be a merry
din.
Meanwhile General Chaffee, as becomes a war
worn veteran has exchanged military garb for
/ evening dress and is entertaining friends in
Portland. If the enemy comes he will initiate
the British officers who danced before the battle
of Waterloo and with his aids slip quietly away
and join the fray
Though he rests tonight, the general has had
an arduous day, Soaked to the skin in the driv
ing rain. the commander in chief of the De-
partment of the East covered twenty miles in an
open wagon to-day, visiting Fort Williams and
the outposts. travelling down the coast to Two
Lights and inspecting the signal station there,
and going to Silver Spring and giving advice
TO the soldiers there. As he went from post 10
post the general got out of his wagon talked
/ with the unsuspecting militia. and came back
/ with the largest fund of stories the war de-
/ veloped Here is a specimen Of his experiences
/ with the National Guardsmen, as told by the
/ general tonight:
When l got out to Silver Spring found a
detail of twenty men, the most mouTntul lot =
! around with hungry looks, and l went up ard
/ said 10 We'll, my man, what did ou haN e
/ for brea kfast9 - 'NaWthn',' said the huIlsly
! fellow. "HoW's that? - | asked in Surprl e. ri
! up al our 'vittals' yesterday. Only had a wash
boiler Of beans and some coffee and sugar anu
hardhread." ,
/ ! looked al the washboer and then ! said
/ Five DAYS ratIons: that's four hundred rauons
! Of beans; that's twenty pouncs ana nIleeH =
Continued on ninth mage.