The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-04-21
HEAVY FIRING OFF
CAPE COD; THINK
SEA BATTLE IS ON
May Yard Officials Get Reports
Indicating Fight From Three
Points.
SHOOTING thrills The COAST
Washington Gets Report and Issues
Statement Saying Coast Guard Sta
lions Heard Firing From Big
Guns In Rapid Succession.

Boston, April 19.-Reports Of heavy
gun fire at the entrance Of Massa-
chusetts bay sent a thrill along the
coast. Three coast guard stations on
Cape Cod successfully reported to the
navy yard here that they had counted
distinct and repeated shots from the
north and northwest of the tip of the
cape. 1t was believed at the navy yard
that American vessels were engaged
with the enemy.
Inside the cape a heavy fog hung
over the waters, but outside the wealth
er was calm and a gentle breeze
was blowing.
No Warship was sighted by the three
stations, and after 80 minutes the firing
ceased.
saIutes Believed improbable.
1t was suggested that ships Of the
allies which are constantly on patrol
duty might have come up with friend
ly warships and salutes might have
been exchanged. Naval men could
not understand, however, why war
ships on active duty should betray
their location merely for the sake Of
naval etiquette. They believed that
there was no saluting unless pre-
arranged, Of which there was no
knowledge at the navy yard
Subseqlents4ttenpts to learn some
I thug deflnite failed, and an explana-
ton q the firing awaited reports from
war vessels in the vicinity. Meantime
steps were taken to meet any emer-
gency.
First Report From Provlneetown.
The first report reached Lieut. e. G..
Blakeslee, in charge Of the radio naval
district which includes all the New
England coast, from naval station No.
80 at PrOvincetown just inside the
cape. 1t read:
AT 9:15 a. M, in direction north
east by north, IS guns heard in quick
succession. After an interval 10 min
utes, 10 more guns were heard"
Receipt Of this message was followed
quickly by report from station No. 80
at Race point, directly on the tip Of
the cape and the most northerly point.
1t read:
"At $50 heavy firing of guns in
quick succession heard due north.
Several more guns heard 1920"
(There was some doubt whether the
latter figures were meant to indicate
the hour.)
On the heels of these messages came
a third from coast guard station No.
so at Peaked Hill bar, on the outside
! of the cape, near the northern end and
not far from Highland light The mes
sage read:
AT 8 Al three guns heard in quick
succession northeast by north. Heard
plainly" i c.
Reports Taken Seriously
The navy yard had no information
except that received from the coast
guard stations. Newspaper correspond
ents on the cape said reports of gun
fire We're current, but all of these were
traced to the messages received at the
navy yard. No citizens at Highland
Light or other points near by could be
found who heard gunfre. However,
the reports were taken very seriously
at the navy yard, where the feeling
was that there had been battle off
the coast.
Washington Gets Report.
Washington, April 19.-The navy de-
partment officially confirmed reports
that firing of big guns was heard off
the Massachusetts coast. The state
ment authorized was as follows:
"Coast guard stations along Cape
Cod reported to the district command
err at Boston hearing firing of heavy
guns in rapid succession out to sea
northward to stations. The reports
were made in quick succession Of each
other by the three stations and trans
mitted to officers in command in that
district at. 9:41 a. M"
The department is without infoEma-
ton as to the nature of the firing or
whether warships were engaged.