Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-13
DEFENSE OF FORT MONROE.
It is Believed That Attacking Ships
Were Disabled


Were Disabled.
Special From Staff Correspondent
FORT MONROE. Va. June 13-Tke
Texas. Hartford and Vixen made a recon-
Nuisance IN force here this morning at
80 o'clock. and after passing up the roads
retired out to sea. 1t is believed that the
ships were put out of action by the mines
and heavy batteries on Fort Monroe
While the attack on Baltimore yesterday
morning gave the officers here the first
definite knowledge they have had since
Saturday as to the whereabouts of the
navy, it did not have the effect evidently
intended of making them feel secure from
attack until the upper works had been
tested al length
Those in charge of the operations in this
artillery district formed the conclusion i'm
mediately that the Baltimore attack
while made in force. was preliminary to a
general movement of the larger vessels, at
least on Fort Monroe The sequel proves
this to have been the case, although but
few of the enemy's ships were in action
this morning.
The Attack.
Admiral Dickins could not have had
better night for his operations If he had
been able to order the weather himself.
Rain fell in torrents from about 5 o'clock
in the afternoon until after midnight and
the air was still heavy and misty when he
came up. The vigilance on all the works
about here was never relaxed for i'll
slant. 1t was about 2:l3 or theredbOutS
when two of the scout boats picked up
large white vessel, followed by a large
four masted ship and two smaller boats,
up the bay beyond Thimble light.
The facts were Immediately communicate
ed to the fort by wireless telegraph. and the
scout boats put back for the dock with
every pound of steam. They did not get
too OF ha,y bad
hardly made mile when the leading ship,
which proved to be the Texas, opened fire
on them with her secondary battery
The flashes from the guns gave the posi-
ton of the ship, which at that time
about six miles off shore beyond the Thin
BILE light
The search lights were thrown on the yes
sell but she was so far out that only
white, misty cloud of smoke could be seen.
No attempt was made by the fort to reply
to the first shots from the ship: the range
was too great. The Texas came rap
idly now, her position having been dis
closed, and a brisk fire the forts was
opened
To the spectators on the shore the ship
seemed to be having all the better of il.
The search lights were kept on the Texas,
and in a short time the Hartford and Vixen
were picked up.
All of the vessels had by this time come
in close enough to make out every part of
them clearly.
The fort opened up on them with the H.
inch mortars and the outer works at Will
loughby Beach took the range and began a
brisk fire with the rapid-fire guns For
half an hour the spectators on the shore
were furnished with one of the most magni-
ficent spectacles one could wish to see
Coming at full speed, now completely
screened by dense clouds of white smoke
from which fire flashed a regular inter-
walls, now standing out against a black
background of murky sky. the great white
battleship was landing theoretically tons
of steel shells in the fort.
Following her the four tall masts and
open ports of the old-style fighting ship
could be made out, and further away a
small white object with what looked to be a
yellow sticking transfxer showed where
the Vixen came. On came the ships. firing
furiously. The mortars did not seem to
disturb them, although the authorities here
claimed that the entire fleet was hit suf-
ficient number of times to sink every vessel.
NORFOLK. Va, June 13.-The United
States engineers office here reported at
1890 o'clock this afternoon that another
attack on Fort Monroe had just begun by
Admiral Dickins' squadron In the joint
army and navy exercises. The engineers
office was not notified to what vessels
were engaged, the only information received
there being that battle had just begun
with heavy firing.
FORT MONROE, Va. June 13.-Admiral
Dickins' fleet took advantage of the unfa-
vorable weather conditions and attacked
the Notifications at Fort Monroe at 2:1o
o'clock this morning. The attack lasted
until shortly after o'clock. The rapid
fire guns on board the vessels of the fleet
were used and the batteries on the shore
made lively response. The Texas, Hart
ford and another boat attempted to run
by the fort at 2:21 am, but the fire from
the batteries put them out of commission
FORT WASHINGTON, Nd, June BIN
formation was received here today that at
least half of the hostile feet, under Ad
miral Dickins. was anchored off Black
stone Island, in the lower Potomac, about
seventy miles below Washington. at an
early hour this morning. With the fleet In
the vicinity and operations against Ra,tf-
more already made the artillery officers at
Forts Washington and Hunt look for a test
of the defenses of the national capital he
fore operations are begun In the lower
Chesapeake.
Searchlight Work.
It would be difficult to find mora MI,
turesaue sight than is presented bv IT,
searchlight work of the Notifications CIV
gagged in the joint exercises. Powerf,,, 70
Electors are mounted at all of the forts on
ga ged in the exercises. but it is probah,a
Fort Monroe has more of these gloom die
pensers than all the other works put To-
gether. Just how many there are here can
not be learned, this being one of the secrets
the army jealousy guards. But last night
and the night before The Stars corres
pondent counted seven distinct and separate
beams playing on certain parts of the bay
ard 1t Is certain that there are several
other lights that were not used, or were