The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-10
Admiral Fletcher'S Fleet Is Scattered by Night Tor
 ped0 Attack
"HOSTILES" LAND
 ON AMERICAN SOIL
Nearly All of Sixteen Blue Battle.
 ships Sunk by Daring Attack of Torpedo Boats, Clearing the Sea of Opposition

Washington, October 9.-For the sec ond successive time this year the na- val defense of the Atlantic coast has been smashed. theoretically. and hos l tile troops landed on American soil. Admiral Fletchers .blue" fleet was scattered or destroyed by a night tor pedo attack, the navy department an- nounced tonight. and transports bear ing an enemy landing force steamed into Delaware bay at 6 o'clock tonight. bringing to an end the fall navy ma neuyers which began October 4. Rear Admiral Knight. commanding the red" enemy fleet. had until October Is to make landing.
 l In the maneuvers last spring Rear Admiral Beatty's red broke through the blue" defense and established base in Chesapeake bay.
 Details of the disaster which in the ory swept the blue" ships from the sea will not be available until reports of the umpires reach the navy depart ment. It is clear from the brief report of the result, however. that Admiral Fletcher's scouts combing the seas for signs of the approaching enemy. failed to find him, while Admiral Knights destroyers in daring night raid, sank nearly all of the 16 blue" battleships. The raid. declares the navy depart ments announcement "cleared the sea Of effective opposition and enabled the red expedition to reach the Dela- ware"
 Theoretical Defeat
 The problem assigned Admiral Fletcher was to defeat a hostile ex- petition directed toward getting foot hold on our Atlantic coast, the depart ment's statement says. Under his com mand were the Is battleships of the fleet. 16 destroyers, 12 submarines a mining division and necessary auxil- iary craft Admiral Knights fleet was Constructive" in character composed of the old armored cruiser Brooklyn, his flagship three destroyers and five auxiliary ships; but in theory it rep resented powerful naval force con voying huge fleet of troop trans- ports.
 
 the Blue" fleet concentrated at Hamp- ton Roads. The Red force was about 1eQ0 miles at sea off the Virginia capes For purposes of the war game. the coast between Eastport. Me- and Mon- omoy Point Capt Cod. was closed to at tack, but all the wide reach from Cape Cod to the southern tip of Florida was open to assault by the Red" fleet.
 Admiral Fletchers scouting ships and destroyers rushed to sea under forced draft when the word came, while the main fleet cruscd on patrol along the coast. The scouts failed in their tasks, the umplres decided. while Red destroyers, coming far ahead of the destroyed thf.Blue fleet.
 Game of War
 The game was played not only by the fleets. but by all coast navy yards and stations and the bureaus ,f the de- partment here as well. Admiral Fletcher reported constructive accidents and casualties from time to time and of ficers were at their desks day and night in the bureaus here, ready to give in- structions to the yards. Once the bat teSulp W NyominB, tneOTetlcaiiy, was swept by an epidemic of diphtheria, and ordered to the New York yard. The med teal corps issued orders for care of the men to be landed and purifcation of the ship. while nasty orders for assembling new crew were flashed by the bureau of navigation. Again. the Wyoming was rammed and headed toward Narragan- sett bay according to Admiral Fletch- CTS constructive" report. Prompt ar engagements to dock tine ship at New York were made.
 The navy departments state ment lays stress on the fact that no special ef- forts were made to augment the Blue fleet by has.erins repair work. putting reserve ships in com;nis sion. or with drawing ships on special duty. The fleet as engaged was as 1t would be for any sudden emergency. In its state ment the department says:
 ''It is proposed. with such maneuvrers conducted in stimulation of war con ditions. to repeat and develop the exer- else of all functions of the department. so that such rehearsals may finally be made to approach very nearly the con ditions of actual war"