The Washington times., 1905-06-11
Fort Monroe All Ready
for Joint Military
Exercises.
SEARCHLlGHTS AT WORK
Maneuvers to Be of Great
Importance iii Testing
Coast DefenSes.

FORT MONROE, Va. June 10
ins attempts to pass Fort Monroe
with his powerful feet tomorrow night
he will find everything in preparation to
give him warm re ception. The materi-
al ana personnel OF the tort rave been
tested and trained until Colonel Potts,
the commandant. Is nov satisfied the
best results can be obtained when the
joint exercises begin at midnight to-
morrow.
Fo.s Monroe and Old Point Com
fort swarm with military mcn Eesides
the many adiiIi ,nal officers OF rte ar
tillery who have been assigned to this
post during the nlancLr.rs. there are
many officers OF .he navy and the Ma
rine Corps detailed here as expert tb-
servers. TO note tie work of the feet
from the land viewpoint
Will Lack the Spectacular.
While shs. maaeuvers. or, as officers
choose TO term thcp ''joint exercises.'
will lack the spectacular TO greater
degree than some maneuvers IF past
years, they will be of far more import
ance in testing th- coast iefenses than
anything of The sort ever attempted in
this country.
This will be test, so it is said at
army headquarters here, between the
| army and the navy. No ships will be
ruled out OF action no matter how many
times they maybe constructiveiy hit by
projectiles from the powerful twelve
inch guns.
The purpose OF the exercises" is to
test the material and personnel of the
| land defenses, but one would think to-
| day. from the secrecy maintained by the
| soiemn-faced officers in Fort Monroe
| that condition of actual war existed
and that the fate of the nation depended
upon keeping inyiolate the operations
| of the land forces
Trying to Locate Dickins.
| AT noon today, SO has also been
| learned. Rear Admiral Dfckins held his
| last communications with the shore and
| tonight no one here knows EIs where
! abouts. 1t is believed that he will sail
past the Virginia capes sometime to-
| night, put out to sea q short distance
and then. at midnight tomorrow, return
| and attempt TO steal undiscovered past
the sharp eyes on the lookout for him at
| Fort Monroe
All tonight the searchlights from the
tort have been sweeping the horizon
attempting 70 locate Admiral Dickins'
meet going out to sea While officers
nave been threatened with court-martial
shouid they discuss with anyone the
purpose OF the naneuvers a few have
peen found who are willing to admit
that one of the main objects Of the --ex-
ercises' is to test the efficiency of the
power of the SearchIi..hts
Maj. Gen. James F. Wade, who is in
supreme command of the land forces,
not only al this point, but of all of the
| fortifications of the Potomac and the
Chesapeake bay, is here tonight Cen
, eral Wade is probably the only officer
who knows the plans of Admiral Dick
ias, with whom he has had a complete
, understanding as TO what shall be at
tempted by the navy
Subcaliber Attachments.
There viii be much practice for the
navy during the exercises in the coun
rermining. The ohanne.s of approach tc
the fortress. so 1t was learned today
have finally been mined with fake
mines, and these the navy is expected
| TO find and remove In order that the
clement Of rivalry between the land
and sea forces may be eliminated as
| much as possible, no landing parties viii
be allowed from the ships, and no one
but the umpires will know for the pres.
ent just how well either the army OF
the navy performed its respective part