The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-21
THE CHESAPEAKE WAR GAME.
SCENES OF THE FIGHTING OF
1914 TO BE REPEATED,
Plans OF the Combined Army and Navy
Exercises on the Chesapeake Next
June-The Navy VIII Try - Can.
ture Either Baltimore or WASHINGTON

Exercises on the Chesapeake Next
June-The Navy VIII Try - Can.
ture Either Baltimore or Washington,
baltimore. May 2o,-The combined army
and navy war exercises this year will have
the Chesapeake for their scene and will
be begun on June II. Already 500
troops OF the Coast Artillery are stationed
at Forts Howard, McHenry. Smallwood
Armistead and Carroll, and upon the
arrival Of the fighting ships the real work
OF the exercises will be started.
Tho scheme Of the exercises, so far az
Baltimore and Washington are concerned.
IL to 60 through the movements Of the
attacking and defending parties Of ISL.
An attack will be made on the lower forts.
with the object OF capturing Baltimore
or Washington. and number OF ships will
lombard the two cities IL they succeed in
getting close enough
The scope OF the exercises will be limited
only by the size Of the bay. At the same
time, Washin gton officially announces that
the operations will not be Of sufficient i'm
portanoe to be dignified by the term Of
maneuvers. The only land defense. for
instance, will be artillery, while in maneu.
vers both infantry and cavalry are called
into play for the defense.
1t will not be necessary for the feet to
demolish the forts, or for the forts to send
the feet to JOIN the Chesapeake Bay oysters.
since the task involved is merely the sou-
tion Of certain questions OF strategy. Army
officers on land and naval officers on shir,
will umpire the work. with officers Of the
opposite force to check conclusions and on
their reports judgment will be given by a
board consisting Of two officers Of the arif.
two Office 8 Of the navy and a fifth officer 10
be drawn by lot Durin g the operations the
naval commander will be absolutely cut
of from land intelligence and will be TO all
intents an invader just across from the
other side.
modern and equipped with the mos, i'm
proved guns. The fourth, Fort CAIRO.
Is the old fort in the middle of the river
built after designs by Gen. Robert Z. Lee
named afte1, Charles Carroll of Carrollton.
and intended as an operating point for sub
The modern works are Forts Howard,
on North Point, at the junction of the Pa
tapsco with the bay. named after Col. John
Eager Howard; Smallwood. on the OPP
posite point, named for Gen. William Small
stead, the chief Of the inner forts, and lying
at Hawkins Point, opposite Fort Carroll
1t was named after Major George Armi-
stead, who. was in command of Fort
McHenry during the bombardment OF
just a few yards from the point at which
the British landed on the evening of Sept.
II, 1914, and on the exact spot where the
troops were formed after landing, stands
the quarters of Col. Frank Thorpe. COM
handing officer. The quarters OF ths
officers are handsome cottages, whicf
would be an addition to any summer re-
sort or suburban town.
Fort Howard, like its sister Notifications.
is carefully guarded not even the wives
to enter it. A guard with a loaded rife
is constantly doing sentry duty. and no
one is permitted to approach without proper
authority.
II Uncle Sans jack tars manage to reach
B;altimore's inner harbor they will do well.
river itself will be protected with sub
marine mines. Most OF the mines have
aleady been placed by the torpedo planter.
Col, George G. Armistead. After all the
mines fioated from them it will not be easy
for a warship to poke her nose near enough
to Baltimore for those on board to be
touched by the odoriferous air Of the real
harbor.
The shore ends Of the cables have been
brought to the wharf at Fort Howard, and
tn, entir garris m there is int sted in
the instructions being given to the mining
corps on the use of the cables and their
connection with the business Of blowing
up warships.
This instruction is in charge Of gradu-
ates OF the torpedo school at Fort Totten.
\. Y.
1t is believed that the approach OF the
hostile fleet will make a spectacle Of great
beauty. The Chesapeake Bay from North
Point to Sandy Point is a broad and pic.
turesque body Of water. To the westward
is the broad gulf Of the .Magothy, and to
the east the mouth of the Chester River,
with Kent Island as the southern boundary
1t will make splendid cruising ground
for the smaller warships and for the scout
boats 1t is assumed that the attack will
be made at night, and the darkest night
available, but cautious commanders Of
big ships may change this plan.