The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-03-29
Vessels Of Naval Fleet to Meet in
Mimic Warfare on Lake Mich
gan in August Of This Year
HISTORIC BOATS in ACTION
Secretary of the Navy Orders Boats to
Meet at Mackinac in August
and Spend Three Weeks in
Naval War Play

For the first time since the war of
1912 manenvers by a naval fleet are to
to occur on the great lakes. Under
IL Instructions issued by Assistant Sec
rotary of the Navy Newberry there
will assemble in Lake Michigan next
summer six vessels, one of which be-
longs to the regular navy and the 9TH
ers to the naval reserve organic cations
of states bordering on the lakes.
These vessels will operate in ex-
actly the same manner as the north
Atlantic fleet does during its maneuv-
ers in the Caribbean sea. They will
be required to steam IN column,
which means they must follow one
another at an exact distance of 400
yards a task that is easy only until
it is tried.
The ships which will engage IN
these maneuvers will be the United
States man of war Wolverine and the
following naval militia vessels: The
Dorothea, Capt. w. F. Purdy COM
handing, Of Illinois, Yantic of Michi-
y Lie w n
and Essex of Ohio. The fleet will be
under the command of the senior Off
Ger of the naval militia organizations,
who is believed to be Capt. Purdy, al
though it is said Capt. Standish of
the Michigan militia, has had longer
service. Assistant Secretary New
berry has directed that the two high
ranking officers of the north Atlantic
fleet be ordered to report on board the
Wolverine and assist the naval militia
in carrying out the program of ma
neuvers. Capt. Henry Morre1l, COM
marding the Wolverine, will also aid
! in instructing the naval mi1itiamen.
! The Dorothea is a converted gun
/ boat of 1914 tons displacement, fifteen
| knots speed, and can carry six six
Founders and four automatic machine
guns. The Yantic has displace-
ment of 900 tons and could be
equipped with strong battery Of siz
Founders. The Gopher is of $40 tons
! displacement, nine knots speed, and
can be given an armament as strong
as that supplied to the Yantic. The
Hawk is 375 tons and IA, 5knots' speed
and, during the,iwar with Spain, car
ried nine guns in it's main battery
The Essex is the largest naval militi;
vessel on the great lakes, having ;
displacement of 1875 tons. Before i
was transferred to the naval mi1iti;
service it carried six four inch rapit
firing guns, four six FOUNDERS, ant
four machine guns. The speed
of the fleet will be that of the stoves
vessel, which is the Yantic. 1t i!
doubtful if during the maneuvers the
vessels will proceed at a higher speed
than seven knots.
"This is the first time that flee
maneuvers have been arranged fo1
naval militia either on the lakes OF
anywhere else, f" said Assistant Secre
tary Newberry today. Some time ago
the commanding officers Of the lake
organizations suggested we hold join
maneuvers and the department was
glad to comply with their request.
The vessels have been ordered tt
meet in the ne:ghborhoodo of the straits
of Mackinac on August 5, and from
then until August II will cruise to-
gether. The organizations will ge
the usual gun drill on board the
/ Wolverine. It is, Of course, impos
sib1e for them to hold these drills or
their own ships because of lack O.
guns. I am satisfied excellent results
will flow from these maneuvers. The
j officers will be trained in handling
ships, and in the time of war this
would be of immense value. Officers
ordered from militia organizations and
report to the department upon the
fitness of the officers, discipline OF
men, training, etc."