Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-15

this particular point was three distinct
flashes of fire, such as would be made by
striking together two 1ints at a distance
that has been given $500 yards, or a
mile beyond the Thimble light and at least
two miles to the southeast of 1t. These
were the flashes of the guns of the sec
ondary battery of the Texas which were
presumably being trained on one of the
scout boats Several flashes followed and
from their appearance the battleShtp must
have been moving rapidly toward Thimbie
light. 1t was after this second series Of
flashes that large scarchlight Fort
Monroe, believed to be sixty-inch re-
Hector. picked up a moving white mass,
which appeared to be the battleship. II
was then that the range finders determined
the distance at $500 yards.
When first seen the vessel was enveloped
in thick cloud of white smoke from,
which she rapidly emerged and showed up
very distinctly Through field glasses her
class was easily distinguished owing to the
character of her superstructure and the
small turret on the starboard side for
mounting eight-inch guns or ordnance of
similar character The outlines of the ship
were made more distinct by the white
paint, which made a glare that lighted UP
the sGperstructure. painted in more sub
dued color. When the Hartford was first
made out. at least mile closer to the
shore than the point where the Texas came
into the searchlight, nothing but her four
masts, deck houses and open line or ports
could be seen. The masts and deck struc-
lures were the same color as the super
structure of the battleship and the line or
open ports was white. Her hull Is painted
black The Hornet, which followed the
other two ships, picked up before the
Hartford and her class was distinguished
even by the laymen because of her distinct
form.
When the Texas and Hornet came in this
afternoon they were picked up from the
shore with glasses and telescopes at about
the same place as the night before. 1t
therefore, that the question as
to the distance the vessels can be picked up
by searchlghts, distinguished as to class
and approach in a fog in daylight. would
be between five and six miles, provided they
We're painted white, and between four and
five miles when painted black
Running by the Forts.
1t would seem that the question of the
possibility of running past the forts was
settled in the negative, both as to results
here and at Baltimore.
The question of the use of ships search
lights will probably receive further test, as
only the Hartford used her lights last night
and it was noted that she took them OH the
tons when she fired. The army had
opportunity to test Its searchlights in the
manner explained; its wireless teleg-
raphy; It's service Of security and IN
formation. and at least a part OF the
system of fire control. AS to the second |
and third items partially satisfactory re-
suits were obtained In this particular in
stance the success of the security and in
forma ton section of the system of defense
made possible the success of the wireless
operation, the scout boat in |
search of information being so equipped as
to enable it to send wireless message to
the forts. 1t may have been that the inter-
.epton of this wireless message by the bat
tleship is what discovered the presence of
the scout boat of the enemy" and started |
the firing The fire-control item is a MAJ
ter of artillery technique beyond the COM
prehension of the average unframed lay
man.
Altogether, the work on the part of both |
the army and navy highly satisfactory