Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-16
FINDING THE RANGE
Practice of Admiral Dickins'
Fleet.
NO NOISE OR SMOKE
A SPECTACULAR BATTLE LAST
NIGHT.
Believed That Two Ships Succeeded In
Passing the Batteries at
Fort Monroe.

roRI MONROE, Va, June 16.-The Dis.
trict sailors on the Puritan had practice
with the rest of Admiral Dickins' feet In
range nnding and with the big 12-inch guns
this morning. The guns did not make
much noise. but the practice was good and
the ability Of the men to handle the heavy
guns demonstrated the value of the training
they have received during the winter drills
on shipboard Only one-pounder shells
were used in the big turret guns The ship
was about seven miles of shore during the
engagement which Admiral Dickins brought
on for range finding and heavy gun prac-
tice for the larger ships and the forts.
There was no noise. smoke and no
spectacle. The ships were so far out that
they could be distinguished only with the
glasses. The larger vessels of the fleet
were divided into two squadrons, one In
cluding all the monitors but the Puritan
attacking from the bay side, and the other
coming in directly from the capes. The
latter squadron included the Texas. Puri-
tan. Hartford, Atlanta and Newark. The
ships joined in long arc steamed to and
fro they fired.
Ships Passed the Batteries.
For the first time since the beginning OF
the war game Admiral Dickins seemed to
gain an advantage last night and is be-
lieved to have succeeded in sending at least
lNO
I'D Hampton Roads. The attack of the fleet
was made at IL o'clock. and every vessel of
the squadron, with the exception OF the
Terror and Siren were engaged. Just how
important the passage of TWO vessels up the
roads would be in actual warfare Is difficut
To determine because both vessels must
necessarily be severely damaged oy the
heavy fire from the sno:c batteries but
the fact that ships did manage 20 pass the
forts is a source of satisfaction TO the naval
officers The monitor Puritan. with the
District naval battalion on board. played an
important part In the battle and is be-
iiCved to be one OF the vessels that mah-
asod to get by the forts.
The attack was one of the grandest spec
tacles ever witnessed IN this section OF me
country. There were fourteen vesseas
actually engaged in the bombardment ana
twelve of these kept up heavy nre TOT
more than an hour. In less than ten min
utes after the time the first gun was 6rao
the bay and forts were enveiopeo IN tniSn aS
searchlights showed only red glare Inc
moon was shining brilliantly throughout
the engagement but the smoke clouds ef-
fectuaIly prevented this from giving al.
vantage to either force.
Almost every feature OF attack and de-
Tense within the rules Of the exercises,
seemed to have been used during the hous
the attack lasted. 1t was the biggest en-.
gagement of the week and was fought out
by both sides on strictly scientific lines.
Warning by Wireless.
The first evidence of approaching attack
came to the battle commanders station at
Fort Monroe last night at IL O'Clock In the
form of a wireless message from one OF the
scout boats. The fleet was reported to Do
moving against the fort from the direction
of Cane Charles in column. A second dis
patch gave the position of the leading boat
and at a range of 1850 yards the hrst shot
was fired Just what vessel fired this shot
IT is not definitely known, but II was not
more than Ave minutes later that the long
black form Of a destroyer was seen in the
searchlight's glare. moving rapidly up the
channel. A heavy fire was directed toward
her from the forts and IN a moment or two
another destroyer emerged from the dark
ness and smoke
Then firing became general from both the
feet and forts. Strict watch was kept on
the two destroyers, which had by this time
come under the range of the S-inch guns
on the fort. and received heavy fire from
them Just at the time the destroyers were
believed to have been put out OF action
couple of shots between the positions OF
these two boats discovered the position Of .
third destroyer that had managed to get
into the Roads under cover OF the smoke
from her sister ships. The theoretical lie
of this ship was not long. the shore bat.
teries putting her hors de combat within .
very short time, but she managed to d.
vert the attention of the artillerfst in charge
of a part of the land guns from the re-
mainder. of the fleet, and therefore saved
the vessels FOLLOWING lNdl lnuCn exposure.
Puritan and Hartford Successful.
The three destroyers were followed by
three monitors. the Florida. Nevada and
Arkansas, and the cruiser Newark, all
using their searchlights. The ships had the
advantage at this stage. inasmuch the
wind was from the sea and blew the smoke
directly toward the shore. leaving the
spaces about the ships clear, although II
bianketed the forts most effectually. Tho
ships lights, therefore. had greater play
than those on the shore. and they wero
used to excellent advantage. The monitors
and the Newark kept up heavy fire on
the forts. and made smoke enough TO hide
the approach of the Puritan and the Hart
ford which followed, the Hartford coming
first.
These are the two vessels that are be-
lieved to have succeeded in passing the
batteries Both of them poured In heavy
fire as they came on and both used their
searchlights. The vessel pointed out as tho
Puritan showed excellent searchlight prac-
tice 1t picked up one of the lights on the
shore and successfully blanked 1t. Both