Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-06-13
Batt'eship Texts Training Ship
Hartford and Destroyer Vixen
"Blowa.uipI' by Mines.
OTHER SHIPS NOT SIGHTED
Rea, Admiral Dlckins' Flagship Reach.
ed Desired Range This Morning by
Following Tug with Coal Barges-
Another Demonstration From Fleet
Expected Before Daybreak.

At 2:30 o'clock this morning. just
after the rail-. had stopped falling
Rear Admiral Dickins' fleet appeared
off Old Point and for over half hour
guns were fired II. rapid succession
According to reports from Old Point at
O'Clock, the kaltlCship Texas. the adj
:niiai's fiaGship. the training ship
Hartford and The torpedo boat destroy
or Vixen had been theoretically dt-
stroycd by mines The firing had
ceased and the other ships of the Ilcct
were not in sight. Another attack was;
expected before daylreak
No information concerning the "aat,
ilc' was given out at the fort and all
of the reports to be- heard at the pier
and around the Chambcrlin hotel were
unofficial. II il; understood that th;
Texas. hartford aud TIC destroyer
crepi in close TO the fort under the
protection of two ocean going bargcs
and tug. One report says that The
watchers at the fort discovered the
enemy" with the scarchlights, but
another is to The effect that the vessels
approached within the desired range
without being observed and opencd
fire on the fort.
After half an hour or more the Tex
as steamed III and dropped anchor off
t5c fort. Then an army mtrul came
in and reported that the Texas. Hart
ford and Vixen had all struck mines
and were destroyed" Later the
Hartford aud Vixen came i'm and an
chcrcd A rocket was sent ur from
the Texas and seen arterward the Yes.
sci went scawurI again, being followed
by tho other two.
The other ships of the fleet have not
been seen ard no idea rs 10 their
whereabouts can be formed
When the firing began, nearly all of
tie guests from the Chamberlin and
Sherwood hotels turned out and there
we're fully two hundred people on the
waterfront watching the battle"
They wiinesstd an unusual and stril-
ms oSSiiS., FOuI VI i've SGhTCHllSn!S
were playing upon tie turbulent wat.
ers of the bay and guns were being
fired i'll rapid succession. About one
hundred shots were fired in ALL
AT the time Of going to press the
crowd is sti,, waiting for second at.
tack and the officers and men on duty
at the fort are keeping a vigilant
watch.
Dull at First.
The firing of rocket at IL o'clock
Sunday night and monotonous sweep.
ing of the bay with scarchlghts Sun.
day night and last night constituted tho
part Fortress Monroe and Fort Wool
had played in the joint army and
navy manoeuvres until this morning.
Sunday night it was thought that the
fleet would put in its appearance some
time before daylight and through
five hours of darkness two scarchlights
from Fortress Monroe and another
from Fort Wool played upon the wat
ers of the bay. Two or three sailing
craft and tug towing car foatywere
the only objects discovered by the
lights.
The only information given out at
the fort yesterday was statement to
the effect that the search1ight practice
was very satisfactory, although the
range of the lights was not as great
as it should have been.
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