NAVAL MANOEUVRES, 1894. 
517 
bat it was all important for D. Blue to approach 0. Blue as quickly as 
possible, as its 19 points would be of no avail against B. Bed’s 32. 
Great uncertainty was introduced into the problem, owing to the fact 
that the various divisions were to start, on war being declared, from 
points which were kept absolutely secret. 
Let us follow now the movements of D. Blue fleet under Admiral Movements 
t of D. Blue. 
Drummond. 
Having arrived at the mouth of the Shannon on Monday, 30th July, 
the ten ships composing this division coaled, and then awaited orders 
from London, which arrived on Thursday, 2nd August. At 5.30 p.m. on 
that day anchors were weighed, and the fleet stood out to sea in “ column 
line ahead,” the War spite (flagship) leading. The sealed orders were 
to proceed to a point in the Atlantic, 100 miles due west of the Shannon, 
and not to leave that position until 9 p.m. on Friday, 3rd August, 
when hostilities would commence. 
Shortly after clearing the river the three catchers formed a second 
column to port of us, the 2nd class cruisers later on forming a third 
column to starboard. 
At 9 p.m. on Friday the signal was made to proceed at 14J knots on 
the pre-arranged course, about north by east; this was continued till 
about 8.30 a.m. on Saturday, when we were off Broadhaven. The 
Salamander , torpedo-catcher, had disappeared during the night, and it 
was feared that she had broken down and would fall into the enemy’s 
hands. 
At 12.45 p.m. a steamer was sighted inshore, all the ships hoisted Hostile 
the flags of various nations as a challenge to the stranger, and the ori ?^t. m 
Apollo and Sybille were sent off to reconnoitre her, the Naiad follow- 
iug, as a second steamer had come in sight near the first. Our scouts 
soon reported that these were two of the enemy’s cruisers, who must 
have passed us in the dark. The strangers steamed away in a south¬ 
westerly direction, evidently to report, and our cruisers were recalled, 
rejoining us about 2.30 p.m. off Tory Island. At 5.25 p.m. we were 
off Inishtrahull, and the hostile cruisers were again seen to be following 
us at a respectful distance. 
At 8.25 p.m., when off Bathlin Island, the Dryad, torpedo-catcher, Dryad 
was seen to be in trouble, and the Australia was ordered to stand by down. 8 
and, if necessary, take her in tow. By the time the defects were made 
good, we had lost sight of the remainder of our fleet, and had to make 
the best of our way to one of the rendezvous previously settled by the 
Admiral in the event of ships becoming detached from the squadron. 
About 10.30 p.m. the flashing of rifles and repeated use of search- att ^ ck ®J u ^ 
lights at some distance off on our port bow indicated that an attack by a torpedo 7 
torpedo-boats was being carried out against a number of vessels, which boats ‘ 
proved to be our own squadron, and which we rejoined shortly after 
midnight. But before doing so we were ourselves attacked. The 
watch had hardly been mustered when, about 12.15 (midnight), a 
torpedo-boat suddenly appeared on our starboard quarter, but so heavy 
a fire was opened upon her that she disappeared in the darkness with¬ 
out having done any damage. 
About 1 a.m., D. Blue and 0. Blue fleets joined off the South Bock, c, f 0 J^ a lue 
junction. 
