The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-06-15
WAR GAME ATTACK ON
WASHINGTON BEGINS
Two Of Attacking Fleet Theoret-
icaIly Sunk by the Fort
Howard Guns.
THE PLAY is IMPORTANT
1t viii Disclose Weakness in the De-
tense Of the National Capital
Novel Method of Defending
the Potomac.
THE PLAY is IMPORTANT

Baltimore, June 14.-Admiral Dickins'
squadron made a demonstration On To-
cal Notifications early this morning
n four -rpedoboat destroyers We're
theoretically blown out of the water by
a~rtillerymen stationed at Fort Howard.
! Then .ne battleship Texas made a
frontal demonstration and from a sew
en-foot knoll fired her big and little
guns at Fort Howard. While the Texas
was making this demonstrations a swift
cruiser made a flank movement and
went up the bay toward Rooles island.
1t was discovered in the nick of time
by men at Fort Howard, who fired on
the ship. The fire was returned and
after a liz ,ly skirlnish the gunners at
the fort theoretically Sent both the
Texas and the cruiser to the bottom.
Expected a Night Attack.
Fort Monroe, Va, June 14.-The vigil
Of searchlights of the artillery defenses
here last night was fruitless. None Of
the units of Admiral Dickins' fleet, con-
stituting the naval side of the joint ex-
ercises of the army and navy, was
picked up during the night. The prac-
tice Of the s%earchlights was declared to
be most satisfactory. Their range,
however, is far short Of the twelve
mile channel available to Admiral Dick
ms and the supposition is the could
have run the capes an3 proceeded to
Washington and Baltimore from the
ocean unobserved if he had so elected.
Could Sink Them on POTOMAC.
Washington, Inc 14.-Washington
according to American military sci
entists, is~as perfectly fortified a city
as there is in the world. 1t is, in mill
Lary equipment and scientific orgaIiaa-
tinn= nf 6afanSaS what tho u ,.Si,, ~.
thought Port Arthur was, and what the
Japanese proved Port Arthur was not.
The combined naval n military ma
neuvers which will be held during the
week beginning June II are designed to
determine to what extent the Americans
I'VE been guilty OF the Russian crime
of oVerconfidence. 1t is claimed tina
Washington is constructively impreg-
nable to a sea attack. The navy will
conduct an attack and the land forces
will undertake the defense. The move
ment is intended to test the defensible-
ness of both Washington and Balti-
more. but especial attention will be CIV
en- to the capital.
Probably nowhere in the world is
there to be seen q better example of
the method of modern coast defense
than in the protection of the Chesa-
peake bay cities. If you will take a
large map showing the coast region
from Fortress Monroe, at the mouth of
the bay, up to Baltimore, and will. with
a ruler and pencil, cover it with a
myriad of little squares, you will have
the basis Of the modern plan of de-
Tense. These squares, as they are drawn
and numbered and carefully recorded
on the military maps, are of about $50
yards.
Now imagine a series of forts along
the Chesa peake bay and the Potomac
river, in which huge guns. many of
them of the disappearing pattern. are
mounted. Add to this a conception of
many skilfully concealed observation
points. These observation points are all
connected by telegraph and telephone
wires, and in addition wireless equip
ments are now installed at many
points.
How the Plan Works.
Imagine a hostile fleet to have passed
Fortress Monroe, as it might easily do,
and to attempt to sail up the Potomac.
From the nearest point Of observation
a telephone message would be sent TO
every company in charge of a huge
battery of coast defense artillery, stat
ing that hostile ships We're in squares
Nos. 112, 346 and 12,7S4, for instance.
The men behind the gun would not
see any of the ships: they would not
need to see them. They would raise
their pieces. aim them al the designat-
ed squares. insert the proper charges
and fire into the air. But the huge
shells would come down exactly where
they We're wanted, maybe ten, maybe
fifteen miles away. AS the hostile
ships change their positions the gun
ners, under the wired Instructions
change range n elevation and charge,
For every square of the thousands on
their maps, the exact range. elevation.