New-York tribune., 1908-06-18
TOTTEN SINKS FLEET
LAND ATTACK Il SUCCESS.
Uar Game Honors Seem DiUided
Betsceen Fort and Enemy

Whether the attacking feet which passed the
Race in safety. will credit for capturing Fort
Totten in the game remains for the umpires
TO decide this morning Anyhow. the feet ap-
rears to be sunk and the enenly's landing parties
remain with foothold in the fort.
Word that the feet had passed the Race and was
steaning down the Sound received at o'clock
a. .,-ary and the We're ordered TO their posts
Before that the force which to reinforce the
landing parties which the approaching feet would
send out had left the reservation and taken up
positions unknown TO the defenders.
The men quickly manned the guns. the infantry
supports were thrown in skirTnish order ana
the searchIights began to rake the darkening
waters out toward New Rochelle for some signs OF
the approaching fleet Tie wait was long one
and trying on the nerves of the men on duty, for
they had TO pick out the attacking vessels from
the regular craft moving through the Sound. and
there were many false alarms. and several times II
was feared the attacking feet had got inside me
zone where il must be destroyed II the fort was
20 remain in the hands of the defenders
AT $50 one Of the searchights picked up the
General Henry Hunt. the flagship OF the attacking
naval force and within few seconds the big guns
began TO fash. The flagship. it is asserted was
sunk three minutes after she sighted, and her
consorts launches, etc. were singled out rapidly,
and by 10 O'Clock the defenders figured they had
blown the feet of the water
While sure of victory the waterfront. the de-
Tenders are not certain they were not caught
from behind Two men. representing landing
party worked their way inside the defence An
other pair Of men, also representing Landing
party captured searchlight at the. south end Of
the fort. which gave the attacking party another
foothold inside the fort
With the enemy towering somewhere IN the
ofhng preparing TO attack at any minute the
troops at the forts down the harbor spent busy
cay yesterday At Forts Schuyler and Totten, on
the Sound. they studied the batteries which were
TO repulse the expected attack meantime keeping
w7atchfu eyes for the invading feet, and final
IL in the afternoon the commander of the forces
at Fort Totten sighted a part OF the feet appar-
entity making & reconnaissance. This news was
flashed 10 Fort Schuyler across the Sound and
call 10 arms was sounded through both forts But
the enemy. perhaps surmising that its feet had
been discovered, drew of without coming into
range.
AT Forts Hamilton and Wadsworth the day was
spent in actual target practice with the big guns
The first shot. fired from gun No in Battery
Harvey Brown al Fort Hamilton, scored hlt-the
huge 2-inch shell struck right alongside the target
which would have been vulnerable spot in any
warship happening be there. 1t also shook loose
q huge section of plaster from the ceiling in the
kitchen where cooks Of Company E, 18th Regi-
rnent were preparing food for the mess 1t was a
fine combination of Joints. vegetables and lime on
which their horrifed eyes rested when they were
dug out Of the wreckage
The target practice to familiarize the national
guardsmen with the big guns was the feature OF
day. A pyramidal target representing an equi-
lateral triangle ten feet high. towed down the
hay six thousand yards from the centre Of a line
between Forts Hamilton and Wadsworth. From
the forts il showed like q mere speck Of red on
the water. Colonel Ludlow, commanding Fort
Hamilton. had arranged to begin firing at II a. m
sharp. Torpedo boat destroyers had been sent out
boats 10 keep clear Of the firing range, and
red flags had been up both forts.
But just as the first gun about TO be fired
came warnings that the Adriatic was passing
through the Narrovs. That meant delay until the
big liner out OF range, so ii was 1l:2o when
the hig Pinch CUR was fred. There a deafen-
ing conclusion. even 10 those standing with fingers
plugged into their ears and mouths open Follow
ing il came wild wailing shrek as the big shell
curved through the air then struck the water
close beside the target. Il magnificent shot,
and probab bly, would have disabled any warship
cupyinr the position Of the target
Besides the damage done to the kitchen. the
firing OF the big guns did much more than even
the expected amount Of damage TO glassware and
houses in Fort Ha arilton. Windows shattered.
ceilings and side walls crumhled. Immediately
after the first shot protests began pouring in TO
the commanding officer. but, though politeness
personfed. ne somewhat deaf on the subject
Of stopping the bomhardment. There were ten
shots fred from the pinch guns alone-each shot
costing Uncle Samuel $3.50 There also firing
from the Io-tnch and e-inch guns
Colonel Henry L. Ludlow, commander at Fort
Hamilton, said he was well pleased at the showing
the gunners made at the military nanoeuvres yes
terday al Fort Hamilton The marksnen shot 10
and l2-inch guns from the banks Of Gravesend
Bay The range was 5000 yards
TWO huge canvas sheets placed at that dis
tance. a red and a white The gunners were
directed to shoot between the canvases, which
were the length Of an ina ginary warship apart.
Several torpedo boats before the
shooting clear the bay Of fishing boats and
other craft
II thought last night that the enemy. which
VIII try sneak into the harbor and land, might
possibly Try 10 gain an entrance al midnight.
Miss Elizabeth Ray, who lives near Fort Hannil-
ton was in the kitchen of her home while the
shooting Of the guns going yesterday.
when the ceiling fell She was taken 10 the Nor
v-egian Hospital suffering from numerous bruises
Many persons living near the fort are complaining
OF slight damages 10 their household effects from
The shooting in al amounting. il is estimated. 10
between $500 and S1oete The authorities Of the
Atlantic Yacht Club Sea Gate have taken out
all the windows in the clubhouse for fear of their
being broken. Other neighbors are following their
example.
Tonight the feet sunk by Fort Totten VIII nave
been resUrrected and viii attack Fort Schuyler on
the Bronx shore. On Friday night, Schuyler haT-
ing fallen. in theory, the troops which will have
occupied il VIII make attack upon Totten