Navy Manoeuvres 1888. The Fleet versus the Coastguards.
Crookhaven. July 28.
The Skibereen correspondent of a news agency telegraphed last night :- The steamer Vulture, with coal for Admiral Bairds fleet was about to leave Crookhaven harbour this evening when she was cleverly captured by the local Coastguards through a ruse. Just as she was getting away two coastguards went alongside, stating that they had a telegram for the captain. When the men were about to return a suspicion dawned upon the captain that he was entrapped. He ordered two men to pull up the ladder, but when they tried to do so Coastguard Birt drew his revolver, and threatened to shot the first man who touched the ladder. Birt quickly boarded the vessel, and the captain tried to take him to sea, but Chief officer Wright, prepared for this contingency, opened fire on the vulture from a commanding position on shore. At the same time other Coastguards went off in another boat to strengthen the attacking force. The captain of the Vulture, seeing that escape was hopeless, surrendered. The vessel was taken back as a prize, but was allowed to proceed sometimes afterwards presumably on instructions received.
Ref: The Times (Lloyds 28 July 1888)
Browhead 27 July 1888. Enemy from cruiser ‘Archer’ again attacked station and forced an entrance at 5 p.m.; three Coastguards who were there surrendered and were carried away prisoners. Enemy numbered thirty Marines and three officers. Also a Coastguard station at Rock Island was captured today. Officers and men have retired for refuge in the surrounding hills. 7 p.m. the officers and men have returned from concealment and have retaken Coastguard station, Rock Island. Everything recovered here, and everything left at the place carefully noted.
Ref: The Times 30 July 1888.
Navy Manouvres. 1888.
H.M.S. Ajax. Berehaven 30 July.
Browhead. 29 July. A rumour reached here that the enemy attempted to capture Coastguard officer and men at Rock Island during a fog this evening. Officer and men made good their escape among the surrounding hills. (from Lloyds)
Ref: The Times 31 July 1888.
Crookhaven. 1 August 1888. 10 a.m. Her majesty’s ship ‘Arethusa’ (of Admiral Bairds Division), off the harbour landed five men with one telegraph expert taken from Brow Head signal station. The Coastguards have seized men and boat, and have taken men off to the country as prisoners. 2.14 p.m. Four boats with large body of men, landed from ‘Arethusa’ in search of prisoners taken by the Coastguards this morning; searched all the country round, but failed in finding either Coastguards or men. They seized a boat captured this morning and are now returning to the ship.
(Lloyds) Crookhaven 1 August. 10 a.m.
Ref: The Times 2 August 1888.
H.M.S. AJAX, BEREHAVEN, July 31.
It is impossible to praise too highly the working of our system of telegraphic information from the various Coastguard stations. The officers in charge have developed a perfect talent for sending terse and clear despatches. Considerably over 400 messages have been received from them since we have been blockaded, and only once has the Admiral had occasion to ask for further information.- A meeting has taken place between the umpires of the southern division of the A and B squadrons as many points in dispute have arisen there. If no other lesson has been learnt, one at any rate will be emphasized, and that is the utterly impossibility of carrying on mimic warfare with any but the smallest approach to the conditions of real fighting. When the enemy, for instance, landed their men to endeavour to surprise our station at Crookhaven they were met by a withering fire from our Coastguard men, who appraised of their approach, had taken up an absolutely impregnable position in the old Martello Tower. They fled at once in disorder, but soon rallied, encouraging each other by the reminder “It’s only blank cartridge, Jack” and by sheer superiority of numbers, rushed the position and captured our signal book.
Ref: The Times 1 August 1888.
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