The Washington times., 1908-07-19
MILITIA IS READY
FOR NAVAL FIGHT
District Navy, With Others,
Looks for Attack"
Tonight.

boring states, who assembled IN Hamp-
ton Roads yesterday morning. will
begin today. Sunday will be a day OF
rest and recreation. so far as that Is
possible, but the duties on ship board
are arduous.
All day the vessels of the fleet prob
ably will lie at anchor at the base of
operations, twenty-five miles north Of
Old Point, on the Virginia shore, but
tonight. the hostile enemy will be how
ering around the capes. waiting an op-
portunity for an attack.
From a strategic and practical stand
point, the maneuvers this summer will
be the most comprehensive ever neld
by the combined navy and State naval
reserve forces.
In all OF the maneuvers and exercises
the naval reserve OF the District Of
Columbia, under command of Com
nnander Dempf, will take an active and
prominent part. The District boys are
all on the cruiser Yankee, the flagship
OF the feet, under the direct super
vision OF Admiral Commander
Marsh. of the navy, who will direct
all the operations.
Follow Navy Rules.
All the conditions will be similar to
those pertaining in the regular navy
during war times. and it is expected It
will bring the reserves up to a high
state Of efficiency.
The attacking and defending fleets
are composed as follows: For the de
tense, the converted cruisers Yankee
and Prairie. the gunboats Lsla de
Cuba. Maryland State ship; the Sylvia,
PENNSYLVANIA State ship; the Vixen,
New York State ship; two torpedo
boats. and two submarines.
The enemy" or attacking force, viii
be composed entirely Of vessels Of the
regular navy. mostly torpedo craft, in
GLIDING the third fotilla of destroyers,
and several torpedo boats and sub
marines.
Admiral Marsh has disposed his re-
serves as follows: District Of Columbia,
on the flagship Yankee; Maryland on
the Isla de Cuba; New York, on the
Vixen; Pennsylvania. on the Sylvia;
North and South Carolina on the
Prairie.
Several attachments from North and
South Carolina that could not be ac-
oommodated on the Prairie were quar-
tered on the flagship with the Wash
ington sailor men.
Il was at first the intention of the
duLlOIlLleS ~ nave the LJAoAA III c
serves use their practice ship, the mon
itor Puritan. but this vessel would be
so unwieldy in the feet that the. idea
was abandoned for the better one OF
7lscing them on the flagship. For this
purpose the Yankee was specially fitted
out. and has mounted several new
guns.
Many details of the program Of exer-
cises depend entirely on circumstances
and the weather. as to whether or not
1t is favorable for an attack If the
present weather conditions hold, with
the bright moon. it will be extremely
difficult for the hostile fleet TO get by
the battle line of the defenders.
One of the features of the cruise viii
be the actual firing OF the big guns by
the reserves in target practice. The
guns used will be the ones mounted or
the cruisers and gunboats, the modern
high-power three and six inch rifles
These guns have all been equipped with
the latest style sights and appliances
and fire control in use in the navy
But one gun pointer will be allowed
however. from each fifty of the en-
rolled organization of the naval re-
serve of the respective States. Each
pointer will be allowed six rounds, and
the rules governing the practice viii
be those prescribed in the navy.
The target will be navy regulation
AS all gun pointers will fire from the
same type Of gun and the same gur
platform, the competition between th'
various States will be absolutely fair
and viii show relative accuracy and
efficiency.
The reserves also will receive in
Nd In
ding the little boats.
Look For Mishaps.
There viii be several thousand mer
in the various ships crews, and, as
result, the man overheard sigma
probably will appear several times dur
ing the maneuvers.
If the ships are IN formation in col
Umn when the signal is given, all ship!
will stop and sheer out of column, tn
second in column sheering to port. will
a starboard helm, the third in column
steering to sta-board. with port helm
and thus alternating down the column
Life bUoys will be let go as soon a!
the column is cleared The hfeboat
will be lowered, pulled around the ship
and hoisted as soon as possible Al
soon as the exercise is completed tn
ship will hoist the affirmative pennant
except the flagship.
II it is after nightfall the ship af
fected, or supposedly affected, will dis
play the letter - and will fire tn,
signal gun. All ships astern of TIT
one making the signal viii also fire
gun and display a ~" Their cours,
will Immediately be changed, the odd
numbered ships steering to port, anC
the even numbered to starboard.
1t will be the duty of the next tw,
ships astern to lower their life boat
and assist in the search. When tn
man has been picked up, or the searcl
abandoned. the affirmative will b.
displayed by each ship whose boa.
have been lowered. In this case tn
affirmative" denotes that the ship 1
ready TO proceed.
Another feature of the exercises vii
be the sending of manned boats to tn
side of the Yankee for inspection. Of
orders from the commanding officer. Al
signals during the exercises will be or
dered from the flagship. unless con
trary orders are issued for some spe
cial reason.
Important To Men.