Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-05
SHIPS ATTACH WASHINGTON
Army and Navy Work 0ut Problem Of
Defense of Capital
NOT A KNOCKOUT CONTEST THIS TIME
simply n sparring for Points Between
the Navy on one side and the
Land Defenses on the
other.


continue their offensive operations for six
days and nights. Meanwhile the fortresses
along Chesapeake bay and the Potomac
river, constituting the artillery districts of
the Chesapeake. Washington and Baltimore
Will put forth every defense of which they
are capable. With it all, the struggle is
to be boodless, practically noiseless, de-
void Of the spectacular and intensely in
teresting only to the army and navy ex-
perts who are playing the game and know
the constructive effect of the unloaded
mines and the empty shells.
These exercises are to constitute the only
Joint operations of the army and navy
during the year. They have been desig-
mated 'joint exercises" to distinguish them
from the more elaborate program of COM
bined army and navy maneuvers," which
was first planned but which failed of
approval for lack of an adequate appro-
priation from congress The operations are
to be conducted under rules which have
been agreed upon by a joint board of army
and navy officers. Considerable Importance
is attached to the distinction between
maneuvers and joint exercises. Maneuvers
are held to apply to operations where
actual war conditions are simulated, while
exercises mean only that certain prescribed
problems are to be attempted.
In the present instance the object of
each of the several forms of attack by the
navy will be to demonstrate the strength
or weakness of each particular phase
OF the defense. The results will be known
only at the conclusion of the exercises, and
then known only to the proper authori-
ties This precaution is emphasized as i'm
portant that the character and strength
of the various defenses may not become
known to possible enemies of the country.
Not n Knockout Fight.
None of the ships OF the navy will be
ruled out of the action by the umpires, and
none Of the guns of the fortifcations will
be declared sllenced.
From the information obtanable, the
program first contemplates the test of
Fortress Monroe. Expert artillery opinion
has long held that this fortress is the prin-
cipal defense of the Chesapeake, and con-
sequently the cities of Washington and
Baltimore Her big guns are said to cover
the channel completely. and together with
the mine fields, to constitute a barrier that
would be impossible to any hostile fleet.
This mine field has been extended for the
present exercises the garrison has been-
doubled and extra drills in the manipula-
tion of the artillery have been in daily
progress for some time, and will be kept
up until the date of the exercises.
The home" fleet has been assembled
under command of Rear Admiral Francis
w. Dickins, and with his flagship, the
Texas is lying at Annapolis. On the 10th
of June Admiral Dickins will hold his last
communication with shore. He will not
divulge his plans or place of first attack
but it is the supposition that he will put
sea- having technically established base
at Norfolk. His squadron consists of the
battleship Texas, under command of Cap
tain Bicknell; the protected cruisers New
ark and Atlanta, Commanders Badger and
Halsey, respectively; the double turret
monitor Terror Commander Fulton; the
single turret monitors Florida, Arkansas
and Nevada Commanders Fremont, Gaalt,
and Reynolds; the old line cruiser
Hartford, Commander Veeder; the torpedo
boat destroyers Whlppe, Worden, Nc
Donough and Stewart under command of
Lieutenants Chase Mccormick, Curtin and
Sellens; the gunboats Hornet, Siren and
Silvia manned by the Maryland naval
militia, and the monitor Puritan, by the
naval militia of the District of Columbia.
Sparring for Points.
Anchor is to be weighed June 5, and
from then on a fascinating game of hide
artillery and the navy, that the where
abouts of the ships may be definitely
known at midnight of June IL.
1t Is explained that the night attacks are
to ascertain the efficiency of the search
lights of the fortihcations and also to give
the navy exercise in constructively making
these lights dark. Actual experience has
demonstrated that 1t is most difficult to
hit a searchlight and, incidentally, most
difficult to navigate ship on which a
searchlight has been turned, the effect OF
the light being TO blind the navigators as
well as the gunners. To render this exer-
else the more effective. the ships of the
squadron have been painted four colors;
the Texas. Newark, Atlanta, Terror Puri-
tam Hornet, Siren and Silvia are white;
the Florida, Arkansas, Nevada, war color;
the Hartford black and the torpedo boat
destroyers dark green. Artillery fire will
be directed on the ships as they are picked
UP by the lights. but for this exercise. the
mines are not regarded in existence
Tabulated observations of what has been
accomplished on each side are to be made to
the umpires and observers. On each ship
will be a naval umpire and an artillery OBJ
server and in each fortress will be an ar
tillery umpire and a naval observer. No
decisions will be rendered, however, as the
sole duty Of those officers will be to make
records of ranges taken and shots fired,
None OF the big guns OF the navy will be
fred, neither will the big guns of the for
ufications be heard. These guns on both
sides, however, will be trained~on the tar
get the same as in actual war and their
fire will be indicated by the discharge of
a blank cartridge in one-pounder, This
is in the interest OF economy, as the cost
of a blank charge for a one-pounder is
much less than for a twelve-inch disap-
pearing or naval gun However. disad-
vantage 10 the navy will result in a de-
gree from this, as It will be impossible for
the officers of ship TO know that they
are being fired at. Consequently it will be
impossible for them to ascertain what are
the locations of dead angles in which
they might lie unharmed while they
dropped constructive shells into the forti-
fication.
Mine Field Problem.
To locate and destroy the mine fields
constitutes another problem. For some
weeks the artillery has had four boats
planting mines. These mines are not
loaded, but constructively, they will be
Just as dangerous to the navy as though
they contained explosives unless located
and destroyed through oountermining oper-
ations During these operations also the
artillery of the fortresses will play on the