The San Francisco call., 1905-06-14
FORTS PROVE
TOO V|C|LANT I
Demonstrate Impossibility
of Hostile Fleet Gaining
Entrance tOHamptOn Roads
CHECK THE SQUADRON
Vessels Theoretically Sunk
in Their Attack on the
Atlantic Coast Points

FORT MONROE, Va, June 13.-For the
third time in the last twentyfour hours
the battleship Texas, Admiral Dickins
flagship, the training ship Hartford and
the gunboat Hornet were constructively
sunk off Fort Monroe tonight at about
10 o'clock. The. third attack on the
Chesapeake fortificauons began tonight
at 9:35 and heavy firing was maintained
by the fleet and the forts for almost half
an hour. So far as can be learned only
one mine was exploded during the last
encounter.
The ships were first sighted this morn
ing when they were about seven miles off
shore. The Texas flying Admiral Dick
ms flag, led the procession, with the
Hartford and the Hornet in the order
named. The boats came ,.own close to
the fortifioations and were constructive
ly" sunk by a combination of mines
mortar ire and heavy SHELLS from the
main battery, all of which concentrated
on the enemy for fifteen minutes.
The ships retired after half an hour of
fighting and passed out of sight across
the bay in the direction of Cape Henry.
This afternoon at 1:30 o'clock the Texas
and Hornet returned and attempted to
storm the forts during the heavy rain
storm. The ships We're put out of ac-
ton before they had chance to fire two
shots. the mortars being credited with
the work. The Texas kept on UP the
roads, however and the batteries along
the shores all fired on her for practice.
The exercises appear, to demonstrate
that it would be almost impossible for
small fleet to run the batteries here
and get into Hampton Roads.
DEFENSE OF WASHINGTON.
FORT HUNT, Va, June 13-The first
in, la lAf1
fired by one of the S-inch batteries al
Fort Hunt at eli O'Clock tonight The
target was one of the units of Admiral
Dickins' squadron, which appeared to be
of the gunboat type. She had just round
ed Marshalls Point. about three miles be-
low the fort, proceeding slowly up the
river. That she was an enemy was
indicated by the signal from one of the
sixty-inch searchlights of the fort After
the initial fire the shooting became gen.
eral. Not a reply came from the war
ship, and when the required number OF
shots from the fort had been fired to
constructively put the snip out of action
the firing ceased.
The offending craft passed calmly up
stream during the cessation of the fire
from the forts and when she reached
the mine field. which is a little below
the fort, the boats were lowered and
manned. A harvest of mines were quickly
gathered, but not before the rapid-fre
guns of the fort and occasionally an
S-inch gun had scored on the illuminated
target at the closer range. The ship re-
turned the fire and her guns sputtered
and flashed at a lively. rate for several
minutes
The fort observers could not identify
the ship by name, although she was
thought to be the converted gunhoat
Siren. The moon shone brightly and
not breath of air was stirring. Again
the fire ceased and the craft slowly
turned and fioated leisurely down
stream. leaving the zone of action at
1o:15 o'clock. The approach of the yes
sci was observed first by the two scout
boats of Fort Washington.
SQUADRON IN THE CHANNEL.
At IL O'Clock three of Admiral Dick
ms torpedo boats rounded Marshall
Point and made. a dash for the mine
fields. They were at once under the
fire of the forts.
The three torpedo boats were fol-
lowed in close order by four monitors
and a cruiser. The action began at 1 1
o'clock and lasted for twenty five
minutes.
The torpedo boat destroyers were all
dark, and they spat spitefuily at the
tower searchlight at Fort Hunt and
then. with constant flashes from their
sides, they ran directly between the
two fortifications on their way TO
Washin gton.
There was no break in the single file
procession in the Potomac channel as
the whole fleet went by. When the
monitors were in trent of the forts
their searchlights were flashed into the
sky, as were those of the forts The
sky became overcast with clouds and
smoke. Then sounded from the for
ward monitor the -bugle to cease firing
and in silence and once more in dark
ness the fleet maintained its course
toward the national capital.
BALTIMORE, June bat las o'clock
this morning Baltimores defending forts
were again attacked by part Of the fleet
under Rear Admiral Dickins. The cruiser
Atlanta was discovered in the cutoff
channel between Bodkin Point and Fort
Smallwood. She was followed by the
Newark and the Sylvia Fort Howard
opened fire, Forts Armsted and SmaIlwood
following the example, and after brisk
cannonade the Atlanta sent up a red
rocket, which is taken to mean that she
confesses destruction or surrenders.
Constructively all three of the attack
ing vessels were sent to the bottom as
was also a four-masted schooner which
the war vessels used as a partial screen
to their movements, and which was
therefore in the line of fire from the
forts. The naval vessels did not reply
to the guns from the forts and shortly
turned and headed down the bay.
-~ s'sSsst