Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-08-26
GOVERNORS WITNESS
MANoEuVREs or FLEET
Were immensely Interested in Sham
Torpedo Attack.

Boston, Aug. 25.-A navy steadily
Increased in size and efficiency so that
it will be ready to defend the country
against attack from any quarter.
This is the aim of Secretary of the
Navy Josephus Daniels as declared be-
fore the governors conference today
at an adjourned session on board the
flagship Wyoming of the North Allan
tic fleet. in Massachusetts, Bay.
For two hours the secretary stood
on the bridge Of the flagship. while
Admiral Fletcher put the fleet through
intricate manoeuvres illustrating at
tack and defense. Then he Joined the
governors in the admirafs cabin and
told them why he had made them his
guests for the afternoon.
Secretary Daniels Speech.
'The navy must abide in the hearts
of the whole country If it is to be
strong and powerful and made great,
people, not the president or myself, to
say how great it shall be. AS you, go
to your homes you will speak the word
that viii help to determine this Ques-
ton.
THE greatest things that the navy
is doing are not heralded. Since the
war began there is not an omcer In
any department of the navy who has
not taken advantage of the lessons
taught by the war. Experiments are
proceeding day and night and today in
every element our navy has no super
ior in the world. We do have super
iors in size and numbers and 1t is for
US to continue to strengthen our navy,
'T believe we ought to increase our
navy steadily so that in time of stress
and emergency the real first strong
arm of our country will be ready to
defend our country if it is attacked
from any quarter.
Wyoming Picks Up Governors.
The Wyoming picked up the gov
ernors at the Charlestown navy yard
and taking a position a few miles east
of Boston Light. became the target OF
attack by % torpedo boat destroyers
after they had passed in review with
ten battleships
Several Surprises.
Admiral Fletcher had prepared sew
eral surprises for his passengers. who
included the wives and staffs OF the
visiting governors and former govern
ors. The torpedo boat hotilia passed
the flagship at distance Of 800 yards
and then disappeared They We're
followed in double column by the bat
tleshipS, headed by the Arkansas and
the Utah. After the review appeared
to have been ended the destroyers sud
denly reappeared in the east.
Alarm Against Torpedo Boat Attack
On the flagship general alarm
against torpedo boat attack was
sounded and soon the big guns Of tbs
Wyoming began to fire blank shots al
the onrushing destroyers. The latter
circled the flagship, pouring forth
dense volumes OF smoke made by ex-
ceSsive use of oil. Soon the destroy
ers were hidden behind the blaci
cloud that isolated the flagship. While
interest was absorbed in this man
oeuvre the smoke screen suddenly wa,
broken by the destroyer Ammen, which
was observed dashing head-on for ths
Wyoming. The guns of the latter
were Immediately trained on the at
tacking ship and thundered away. The
destroyer, however, came on and wher
she had approached within 5000 yards
discharged a torpedo.
The missile was seen to strike the
water and then, submerged. made hel
way towards the flagship. The lat.
ter, however, on the instant had beer
put slightly to starboard under a full
head of steam with the result that the
speeding torpedo passed few fee
astern.
Governors Immensely Interested.
The governors aboard appeared inn
mensely interested in the sham attacl
and with close attention followed tn,
orders from the bridge which were in
terpreted by bluejacket through {
megaphone into understandable lang
uage.