Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-15
TOOK SIGNAL STATION
Company of Marines Landed
From the Siren.
TRIED TO CUT CABLE
FORTS HUNT AND WASHINGTON
AGAIN ENGAGED.
Long Range Bombardment at Fort
Monroe This Morning-The
Puritan Again Afioat.
TRIED TO CUT CABLE
Special From a STAFF Correspondent.


FORT MONROE, Va, June 15.-Informa-
ton was received here this morning from
the commanding officer at Fort Washing
ton that cable-cutting expedition was at
tempted there last night by the converted
yacht Siren. Detachments of men were
landed. contrary TO the explicit rules of the
maneuvers, from the Siren at Marshall
Hall and across the river at White House.
and the two signal stations at those places
were captured by the navy.
AS this Is the second time that the naval
militia OF Maryland has .'mussed things
up and violated the rules of the maneuv-
ers, which provided that no landing parties
would be used by the navy. 1t is probable
that Maj. Gen. Wade will make a formal
protest to the authorities at Washington.
According to the dispatch received by Col.
Potts the commandant at Fort Monroe,
the Siren attempted to cut the cables con-
Meeting Forts Hunt and Washington and
even after sufficient number of shots had
been fired from the fortitcations to put the
ship out of action and sink her to the bot
tom of the Potomac river she continued her
work in countermning.
Developing the Batteries
Practically the entire feet are now at
anchor about twelve miles off the forti-
fications here. A division of the fleet, con-
sisting of the flagship Texas, the Hartford.
four monitors, a cruiser and a gunboat
made a demonstration against the Buckroe
Beach batteries this morning at about 7:30.
The ships did not fire shot, the range be-
ing too great, but the mortar batteries
opened on them and after a very short ad-
vance they retired, joining the rest of the
fleet.
made for the purpose of developing the
strength of the mortar batteries. and il
this was the case 1t seems to have been
successful. The feet arrived here at an
early hour this morning and took posi-
ton near Cape Chalres. All but two Of
the vessels of the coast squadron are here
now and the two missing ships were re-
ported headed this way from Indian Head
about 10 O'Clock this morning.
1t is confidently expected that Admiral
Dickins will deliver his main attack here
within the next twenty-four hours.
AT the present time all of the vessels OF
his fleet, with the exception OF the monitor
Terror and the Siren, which have been re-
ported coming down the Potomac are to
be seen from the fortifcations at anchor in
the oim horizon. A. F. F.
By Associated Press
At the River Forts.
FORT MONROE. Va, June 15.-whIle
Admiral Dickins was gathering the larger
units of his feet in the lower Chesapeake
last night in the operation of the Joint mil
itary exercises he was not idle at the Wash
ington and Baltimore defenses At Forts
Washington and Hunt things were exceed
ingly lively. The Siren landed company
of marines at Marshall Hall, Md, which
Immediately proceeded to capture the army
signal station at that place Prior to this
the Siren had made several attempts to
cut the cable, the means of communication
between Forts Hunt and Washington, and,
according to the arrny's cou of its
artillery fire, the ship has been put out OF
action several times. 1t was for this reason
that lively protest was made by the cap
tured signal station personnel, and a case
for future settlement by the joint board
has been made. Besides landing at Mar
shall Hall, another landing was made from
the Siren on the Fort Hunt side of the Po-
tomac, at what is known as White House"
just below the fort.
The bombardment of the Siren and her re-
ply, taken with the landing and counter
mining operations, although somewhat moro
tame than the preceding night, made things
lively during the night at the defenses of
Washington The monitor Terror is be-
lieved to have designs on the defenses of
Washington also, as she was down in the
lower Potomac last night.
AT baltimore the converted yacht Sylvia
showed considerable speed and energy dur
ing the night in chasing the scout boats of
the forts. She made no captures so far as
reported.
Attack on Fort Monroe This Morning.
Admiral Dickins, with his flagship, the
Texas, was in the vicinity of Fort Monroe
during the night and busted himself in In
tercepting and breaking up the wireless
communication between the fort and army
scout boats. He allowed the fort to inter
cept message to the Newark, which said
that he would attack the fort at 2:3O o clock
this morning. This proved, by the failure
to attack at that time, to be a ruse
The first attack in force on Fort Monroe
took place this morning at o'clock. Eight
of the biggest ships OF Admiral Dickins'
squadron formed an arc of a circle between
Cape Henry and Cape Charles All of them
headed for the fort and advanced at slow
speed The forming operation. although
far out, was plainly visible and everything
was ready in ample time to meet the attack.
The first gun was fired at 7:1O, and for q
half hour a long-range bombardment was
continued The ships did not come closer
than Bug light, which is ten miles frsm
the fort. The feet consisted of the Texas
and Hartford, four of the monitors and two
smaller ships.
The Puritan Ahoat.
The monitor Puritan, carrying the naval
battalion Of the District National Guard,
was recognized in the fleet, indicating that
she had succeeded in getting off the nnd
where she was fast yesterday. Because OF
the long range and the use of subcaliaer
to indicate the fire, the demonstration ras
robbed of spectacular features which have
characterized the night attacks.
After half hour of firing, during which
the ships were advancing, they turned in
broad circle and proceeded back from
their starting point and were soon out of
view.
The demonstration is taken to comply
with that part of the exercises requiring
run by" in daylight to develop the caFze-
fty and accuracy OF the range finding ana
big-gun and mortar fire of the batteries
The Detroit to Come North.
It was announced at the Navy Depart
ment today that the Detroit. now In Boz
rtnfcan waters win come north as nnon