Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-15

notified, the former are too busy to pay at
tention to the scouts after the fire from the
fort begins, with the result that several
brilliant artillery officers who would ere
this have been prisoners of war are still
able to rush about the harbor on their fast
little tugs and do effective work. -
Use of Wireless Telegraphy.
The security and information depends TO
a large extent on the scout boats and the
wireless Biography This is the first time
wireless has been brought into use in war
games In this country, and the way it
is being worked is one of the most salts
factory features of the program. There
are other elements of security and Informal"
ton but these two are the ones that come
most prominently in the public eye, ana
the ones that seem to the layman to be
bringing in the best results. The army Off
GERS here have learned a lesson in courtesy
from the Japs. Nothing could be more ur-
bane or polite than the average officer to
whom the half dozen or more correspond
ents here ask for information regarding the
work in the forts In the bay, and there
is no term that expresses nothing SO clearly
as the terms they use. An anxious inquirer
for news from the officers actually feels
that he knows less after asking one of the
artllerymen here about certain phases of
the exercises than he did before he pursued
his inquiries. AS far as they can without
embarra ssing the defenders of the country's
honor the officers here, from the district
commander down to the newest second lieu
tenant, have done their utmost to increase
the news-gathering facilities of the CORE
spondents. but usually the things they
talk about are the things every one knows.
They are willing to discuss affairs after
they have happened but will not give in
formation prior to the event. This being
the case, ii Is impossible to state just how
many scout boats there are in the fleet
which the battle commander has a his dis
posal. There are two of them that are we'll
known, but how many others it would be
difficult to estimate. The proba bility is that
there are at least dozen boats of all
classes. OF the two that are known
scout boats one is equipped with wireless
apparatus. The others may be also, but the
| fact is not known
With such equipment therefore the boat
| is in an excellent position to do good work
| for the fort. 1t is usually sent out as soon as
| the sun goes down, and remains out until
sunrise or the fleet comes in. The system
| of patrolling the waters is simple. The
boats go out as far as they dare and keen
| sharp lookout. The available information
| is so great that 1t must be necessary to
maintain a dozen or so of the vessels to
| completely cover every point
Duties Of Patrol Boats.
| If the system adopted at Fort Monroe
| can be taken as model of the methods of
| all the other forts, there is every reason to
4 believe that the fleet here includes an emf
nent variety of boats, both as class and
motive power During the past two nights
observers have noted the presence of sew
| eral saiIboats of various size off the bay
| shore of the fort. The fact that these
| boats are as much In evidence at 2 or 3 in
| the morning as they at or at night
| leads to the belief that they are part of
| the patrol On the boats equipped with
| wireless telegraph apparatus there is US
| ua1ly a double crew of signal experts, in
| addition to the artillery officer in charge.
| The boat is required to telegraph to the
forts the instant the enemy appears and to
| give the range of the enemy nearly as
| possible The harbor is plated off in little
| blocks for miles around the forts and the
! position of vessel is therefore easily de-
| termined with the distance thereof AS
| soon as this information is procured the
| officer in charge sends in message to. the
! battle commander by wireless. There are
several wireless masts on the fortifications