A Great Hypothesis

War, imaginary war, was declared and five days later the U. S. Pacific Fleet was a hypothetical wreck. Such was the swift and perilous action of the annual fleet manoeuvres. This was how it came about:

A hostile European nation of about equal military and naval strength was at the point of breaking friendly relations with the U. S. About the first of the year its fleet was sighted in mid-Atlantic. At once our Pacific fleet was ordered to the Atlantic. Our Atlantic Fleet remained in Narragansett Bay, protecting our eastern coast. A detachment of the enemy proceeded to Panama to prevent our Pacific Fleet from passing through the Canal. This detachment, known as the Black Fleet, was impersonated by our Atlantic Fleet. The Pacific Fleet, attempting to pass through the Canal, was dubbed the Blue Fleet. Could the Blue Fleet enter the Atlantic?

At this point the monoeuvres were supposed to begin. They didn't. They were delayed two days by an accident. Costa Rica had been having heavy rain which had prevented proper transmission of its mails. Two U. S. aeroplanes were sent from the Canal Zone to assist Costa Rica. Their duty done, they started home. Diving through the clouds they "stumbled" on the Black Fleet anchored in Chiriqui lagoon off Bocas del Toro. Lieutenant Moon, one of the aviators, circled, counted the ships, and then descending, bombed the aeroplane carrier Langley, making three direct hits with ripe tomatoes. Within an hour the information was in the hands of the Canal Zone defenders. It was most disconcerting. The position of the enemy was supposed to remain unknown and the presence of an aeroplane carrier was to have been a deep secret from the Blues. So two days had to be allowed for the Black Fleet to hide itself elsewhere.

At 6 a. m. of a January morning, the Blue Fleet, under Admiral S. S. Robinson, reached the southern ( Pacific) entrance of the Canal. Major General S. D. Sturgis, in charge of the Canal's defense, concentrated his force of 9,000 men to defend the northern entrance, but only the more obvious points of attack could be protected and only a small fraction of the guns manned.

Meanwhile, three Blue light cruisers and a gunboat, which were at the Atlantic entrance (having been there before war commenced) reported by wireless that they had established contact with the enemy off Porto Bello--and reported no more--indicating that they had been "destroyed." Meanwhile, the Langley (Black) had found rough water that prevented launching its aeroplanes. A few Black planes launched from a base near Porto Bello reached the Gatun locks but were driven off by anti-aircraft batteries. Ten Blue planes reached Porto Bello and attempted to bomb the Langley.

The Black Fleet proceeded to fire on the forts and locks, outranging the land guns. Black destroyers attempting to lay a smoke screen were driven off by the guns of Fort Randolph. The losses of the Black Fleet were three submarines and one destroyer.

All day the Blue Fleet was hastily coming through the canal. At 4:30 p. m. the first ship, a submarine, emerged into the Atlantic. In all, 58 Blue ships passed through the Canal during the day, the smaller vessels going first.

That night Admiral Newton A. McCully, in command of the Black Fleet, sprang the first surprise. Some 1,000 or 1,500 marines in 50-foot motor boats carried by the Black Fleet traveled 17 miles from Porto Bello under cover of a smoke screen. Despite a very rough sea they effected a landing between 4 and 5am. A detachment of 400 attacked Fort Randolph and captured it from its defenders, who numbered 1 than half as many. Another detachment took the Coco Solo aviation field (defended by 70 mechanics) and submarine base, "destroying" submarine supplies and capturing all aeroplanes on the ground.

At daybreak the Black Fleet came into the attack. They were able to approach some 4,000 yards closer because the Fort Randolph batteries were silenced. It was decided that the damage done by the bombardment was not serious and could be repaired during the night. During the afternoon the first Blue battleship, the California, reached the Atlantic. Meanwhile the Black Fleet retired to Porto Bello replenish its ammunition.

During the night the transport Henderson of the Black Fleet ran the fire of the land batteries to the entrance of the canal and was "sunk," partly blocking the channel.

When morning came there were five first class battleships of the Blue Fleet in Cristobal Harbor at the north end of the Canal. Under cover of a smoke screen blowing in from the sea the Black Fleet advanced early to the attack. Admiral Robinson ordered destroyers and submarines to put to sea through the enemy's fire. Behind the breakwater the first line ships were manoeuvred in an attempt to get then into firing position. Only one or two were able to get broadside on to bring all their batteries into firing position. The great guns fired incessantly by proxy through the little one-pounders mounted on their backs. The Black Fleet came in to 600 yards firing broad sides. At noon Admiral McCully ordered the Black Fleet to retire at full speed to its base.

Admiral Robinson then ordered his battleships to sea and they steamed out of the harbor without waiting for the remainder of the fleet which was still in the Canal. But the umpires, Admiral Robert E. Coontz and Major General John L. Mines, ordered him back, declaring that his ships were disabled.

So ended the battle, with the U. S. Pacific fleet destroyed. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Hamilton V. Bryan, Admiral McCully's flag officer, disguised as a civilian with a cargo of candles, representing dynamite, penetrated canal guards and placed his explosives at important points, the control chamber of the Gatun locks, etc. He later disguised himself as a correspondent, chatted with Blue officers at their head- quarters, read papers on their desks, cut telephone wires at the Gatun headquarters. His exploit was discounted, however, because complete restrictions such as would be made in actual war-time were not placed on civilians in the Canal Zone.