Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-13
NAVY SUSTAINS GREAT LOSS
In Attack on Baltimore BAttleship Texas
and Several Boats Are Lost
COAST ARTILLERY PROVES EFFECTIVE
Admiral Dickins Begins Fight Early
I'm the Morning in MRneuvers
Now Taking Place on
Atlantic Coast.

BALTIMORE, June 12--In an extra edi-
ton the American gives the following ac-
count of the attack on Fort Howard:
Admiral Dickins did the unexpected
thing by making an early morning attack
on Fort Howard and the other local forti-
fcations, and three torpedo boat destroyers
were theoretically blown out of the water
by the artillerymen stationed at Fort
Howard. Two of these answered the de-
scriptions of the worden and Whipple,
while the third was either the McDonough,
Stewart or Lawrence
Promptly at midnight scout boats were
sent out from the local fortiflcations. AT
1875 o'clock these boats signsled the ar
tillerymen at Fort Howard that the EN-
emy was approaching and all the men at
the fort were Immediately called to the
guns
Almost simultaneously the men were
warned Of the approach of the boats by the
signals at Sandy Point The searchlights
at Forts Howard, smallwood, Armislead
and Carroll were headed down the river,
and very soon a destroyer resembling the
Worden was detected steaming up the
river at full speed. Five minutes after re-
ceiving the first signals the men at Fort
Howard opened fire on the approaching
guns. While the Worden was theoretically
blown up, 1t proceeded past Fort Howard
and on up the river. The other forts i'm
mediately got their guns into action and
took turns in shooting at the approaching
enemy.
Boat Strikes Theoretical Mine.
About hfteen minutes after the ap-
proach of the first of the enemy's fleet
another destroyer, evidently the Whipple
was discovered. This vessel suffered the
same fate the first. The third destroyer
made it's appearance and. like the other
two, was sunk
THE first boats endeavored to sneak by
the forts without making any demonstra-
| tion, but the one in the lead was soon put
out of commission by striking mine This
was signifed by the ringing of a bell In
| Fort Howard.
The third boat, though put out of bust
| ness, opened fire on all four of the forts
and the sight was a most interesting anc
exciting one. Broadsides were fired by the
| third destroyer when 1t reached a point
between Forts Armisead and Carroll. NJ
| lights were used on any of the boats and
| the fire from the guns made an imposing
| sight.
1T is believed that the destroyers were
| sent on ahead of the rest of the fleet tC
| get the range of the forts, draw the fire
| and ascertain whether the men were a
| their guns. Later a fourth destroyer wa!
| discovered and Sunk Then the battle
! ship Texas made a frontal demonstration
and from a seven-knot range fired it's biz
and little guns at Fort Hwoard. Whil'
the Texas was making this demonstration
a swift cruiser made a flank movemen
and went up the bay toward Poole's island
1t was discovered in the nick of time b,
| the men at Fort Howard, who fired on th
ship. The fire was returned, and after
! lively skirmish the gunners at the for
cruiser to the bottom,
| After the battle the cruiser sent up
| rocket, and then up a red and white ligh
and directed it's searchlights toward tn
forts"
After the Intellectual attack upon For
Howard the enemy" as the attacking
vessels are known withdrew and steamed
down Chesapeake bay to join the rest o
Admiral Dickins' squadron off Sand!
Point.
The attack this morning will not caus
the local garrison to relax the vigor o
their watch, as there is nothing to pre-
vent Admiral Dickins attacking the cit!
again.
Attack on Fort Monroe.
FORT MONROE, Va, June B-Admira