Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-09-22
PRACTICE DELAYED
Tugs And Auxiliaries Disabled
And Anchors Lost.
EUROPEAN TRIP POSTPONED
Fleet Gets A Terrific Pounding And Tar
get Practice Is Seriously DELAYED -
New York Visit Now Unlikely
Ships Need Repairs.

On Sunday after a full weeks en-
| forced idleness due to heavy seas, the
breaking up of target RATS and the
disabling Of tugs and other auxiliary
vessels, the Atlantic battle feet set
| tied down in calmer water, prepared
| to resume target practice that night
With the exception of spotting
practice, conducted by one ship from
each of the four divisions last Tues
day. there has been no action with
| the guns, instead every ship has been
kept busy every minute, standing by
| the RATS, searching for those that
| broke loose and were carried out
| many miles to sea and assisting dis.
| abled tugs.
Two ships lost their anchors in
| the heavy seas while a stiff north
| easter ran from thirty to forty miles
an hour for forty-eight hours. One
| lost seventy-fve fathoms of chain.
Two tugs lost their propellers and
GOLFERS even were driven to shelter
in Lynnhaven Bay. Several ships were
sent in to Hampton Roads for coal,
this made necessary by almost con-
slant heavy cruising. The entire
fleet has been isolated, each ship
from another, and only the Connec-
ticut, Admiral Schroeder's flagship,
has received mail. The Vermont, in
the fourth division, has not received
or sent mail since September 8.
The commander in chief has al
lowed no wireess message except
social, and a strict limit and cen.
sorship have been maintained on
press dispatches. The fleet, which
should have left Hampton Roads on
September 10 for the drill grounds,
remained inside because of storm
warnings from the Gulf.
On Tuesday, the 18th, the Connec-
ticnt, Louisiana, Georgia and Min
nesota began night practice. This
recommendation of Admiral Comfy, of
the third division, who announced two
men washed overheard and rescued
with great difficulty. One target
broke loose and was lost. The tug
Potomac was totally disabled, losing
her propeller. All of the 14th was
spent in standing by, hunting for SUBJ
merged targets, raft, buoys, etc.
On the 18th the fourth division
raft got away, and the Mississippi
had chase of twenty miles to re-
cover it. The Panther, Celtic and
Caesar towed RATS to Lynnhaven Bay
for anchor. The Caesar attempting to
return the next day lost her steering
gear. On the 10th the Virginia and
Nebraska lost anchors, the latter
with seventy-fve fathoms of chain.
On the 18th the Minnesota, Nebraska,
Virginia and Louisiana sailed to
Hampton Roads for five hundred tons
of coal each.
On Monday, with nearly half of
| the tugs and other auxiliaries dis
abled, it became necessary for the
big battleships to attempt to do the
work of tugs. Four RATS after be-
ing in position parted their aDchor-
| lines. This happened to the raft
which the Vermont had been protect
| ing for four days The raft, when
| the anchor line parted, shot forward
| almost into the big ships stern, wind
| ing her line around the propeller.
After much difficulty the propeller was
| freed 1t was then dark and impos-
sible to set the RATS at night, so
again the firing was postponed.
With the break of clear dawn on
tuesday all ships were under way
again at work on the RATS. Before
noon light mist dropped and turned
into rain, stopping work again. This
means the postponement of the fleets
visit to New York upon the compile
tion of target practice for ten days
liberty to men and officers in recog-
milton of their hard work. The fleet
sails on November ] for two months
in the Mediterranean, so it will be
necessary to send all ships to yards
not later than September 25 or Octo-
Der / for repairs. Much work will
be necessary. owing to the hard
pounding the fleet has received in the
heaviest seas in which it has ever at
tempted advanced service battle tar
get practice.
Il l.