The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-07-17

Inc enemy -4eet was biting into the
sea vitals Of the commercial United
States, the southern coast Of New Eng
land between Cape Cod and Long Is
land sound, whose possession Is the
key to the manufacturing and indus
trial life Of the east.
Battleships lying or the mouth OF
Buzzards bay were dropping shells into
the harbor and into the shores. One
ship had yentured close into the land,
approaching within the zone Of fire
from Fort Rodman, and had dropped
shells near New Bedford. Hidden by
Intervening hills it had escaped return
IRE and was now lying just out of
range, dropping an occasional fifteen
inch projeckdle toward the defenses.
THE extreme range OF the present
armament Of American harbor defenses
is 1900 yards. This is not a reliably
elective fighting range and is merely
stated as being the extreme range
under crucial test of the twelve inch
steel rined mortars The rided guns
as now mounted have range of not
more than 1900 yards. Battleships
now being constructed are armed with
fifteen and sixteen inch guns that can
outrange the extreme theoretical range
of the mortars.l
: Other ships were firing into Mar
ragansett bay. They, too, were firing
at Immensely long range, to avoid re-
turn FIRE from the defenses. Montauk
Points wireless transmitted dispatch
that three vessels were standing in
there and lowering boats. Then the
apparatus fell silent. Point Judith's
wireless had ceased speaking soon
after dusk. Its last dispatch was that
shells were falling near it. An hour
later it's operators reported from Mar
ragansett Pier that the tower had been
destroyed.
Watch Hui and Westerly, on Rhode
Is1Rnd's southwestern border, said a
message from near by Stonington, were
burning, and were being wrecked by
heavy shells. Fort Wright telegraphed
that this was IRE from two battIeships
standing Just outside of range from the
forts mortars and rifles and throwing
shells from fifteen inch guns.
But these great guns were being
used only at intervals. Though their
bite could rend towns, they destroyed
themselves as they wreaked destruc
ton. The acid fumes from their mon
ster powder charges ate out thei1
scientifically rihed cores. They had tc
be spared.
The real attack came from the heavy
cruisers, standing close in and work
ing four, I'VE and eight inch guns Fol-
every shot that the battleships' nam
moths fired the cruisers fired a hun
dred It was not bombardment. i
was driving flail of whirling, smash
ing, exploding metal that whipped tn,
coast between Watch Hill and Poin
Judith. Now the fiocks of shells wen
high to reach far to their farthes
range into the land. Now they wen
low 70 sweep through the cover neal
shore. Sometimes the steel things
drove, as If IN sudden uncontrollabl'
fury. at one given spot. Again, the,
spread ont into a dreadful cone tina
danced along i've mile stretch Xix,
a dancing whiriwind. The very beasts
OF the woods, the birds In their nests
were dead.
To the survivors who had escape,
from the first red blast the thing seem
ed only deed OF insane wickedness
What had they done, they asked eacl
other with sobbing breaths, to bring
steel navy at themf What could
great, powerful enemy gain by thi
murder OF unarmed country folk9
The men who were working tn,
ships guns were from little villages
= from pretty seashore hamlets like thes,
themselves. They were not thinking O
The habitaticns which were being blast
ed away. 1t was an operation of war
With their brooms OF steel and flr,
they simply were sweeping clear tn,
noor on which that army was to Sc
It's foot.
Far In shore Of the fame tori
cruisers, safe from any land IRE unde
the parabolas Of the naval projectile,
as If they were under a bombproo
arch, cartain little vessels had toilet
up ana down from the beginning. Slow
b, for they dragged between them lonj
wire cables that hung down to TIL
sea bottom. they moved back an,
forth along the beach. fishing. TIL
fish they were trying TO catch wer
spherical ana conical steel nsh tina
bore little protuberances on their top
We the sprouting horns Of yearlinl
Atouch as soft as the touch OF
loves hand could drive those littl
norrAnward to awaken q slumberin
ntue svil OF illuminate Of mercur
whose yep Is 50 Hight that a mere ia
win nFs Il. And the Eliminates e.
piosion uld detonate 300 pounds q
guncottok
The auDSrine mine says TO tne bi
ahips, 81 4 deatbI,, and thew canne
sngwer II
But there an answer to the min
It Is the mifrwaene, that dra0n n
them. The d IN fhaso mine svee,
ers dedicate Lnsalvea t. the tontl
some must AAtably perish. The