Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-22
Norwegian Fruiter lnterferes
With Fleet Target Practice.
KEPT STRAIGHT ON COURSE
Second Squadron Delayed in Prac.
tice, Says Schroeder.
INTRUDER LANES WARSHIPS
Marks Riddled by Shots of Guns.
Heavy Weather and Other
Troubles.

The bad luck of the sixteen battleships
that have been mimicking the war game
of the Virginia capes seems to have been
almost continuous
Under ordinary weather conditions the
target practice both by day and by night.
should have been ended by this time. Re-
newed trouble yesterday, according to
Navy Department advices. may materially
delay the conclusion of the Atlantic fleet
battle practice.
Admiral Schroeder, commander-in-chief
of the fleet in dispatch received by the
Navy Department today, reported that,
while the first squadron finished the first
run of day target practice, heavy weather
and trouble experienced In towing the
targets made 1t impossible to accomplish
anything further.
The practice of the second squadron. he
announced. was delayed by the Nor
wegian fruit steamer Belita, which passed
between the ships and the targets just
one of the divisions was about to
open fire.
Targets Easily Hit.
ON BOARD UNITED STATES BAT
TLESHIP KANSAS. at sea on southern
Portsmouth, Va, September 22-The At
lantic fleet, the pride of the American
navy. today demonstrated that no mark
was too small for it to hit If it showed
anywhere above the horizon.
Eight Of the sixteen big battleships.
forming the first squadron. and headed by
Rear Admiral Schroeder's flagship, the
Connecticut. peppered four targets, each
ship. at . range greater than 10000 yards,
or more than six miles.
The Delaware. one of the two new
American super dreadnaughts. cut away
her targets at first salvo. The other
ships OF the fleet, including the Della
wares sister ship. the North Dakota; the
Connecticut, the Louisiana, the Kansas,
the Michigan. the New Hampshire and
the South Carolina, also found range ac-
curately.
i. The ships fred in two divisions The
first went to work about O'Clock In the
afternoon. and the second started just be-
file by ohg batt3sz5Hbs which was not
shooting. Some Of the shells dropped 900
feet astern and gave a realistic limitation
of actual warfare to those aboard.
After the signal to commence firing had
been given the ships had four and one
half minutes to fire. Nearly 500 shots,
including 100 tweHe-inch shells. were
fired yesterday.
Belita Does. Not Change Course.
The Norwegian fruit steamer Belita,
bound from Port Antonio for Philadelphia,
appeared on the horizon midway between
the first division and its targets The
division was steaming toward her just
before the warship began firing.
The vessel did not change her course.
A few minutes after the firing had ceased
the Belita sailed down the lane between
them.
A Clyde line steamer was the only other
ship seen sailing in after the firing. No
projectiies went near either vessel, how
ever.
The second squadron, headed by the
Georgia. was unable to get it's targets
prepared for practice yesterday and will
begin Its work Thursday.
The eight ships of the first squadron
fired only their starboard batteries yes
terday. Thursday they will shoot with
their port batteries.
AS far as known there were no mis-
hAps aboard the fleet. Both officers and
men were elated at the successful shoot
ing.