New-York tribune., 1886-06-06
RIG GUNS AT WEST POINT.
ACCURATE AND RAPID PRACTICE.

- -, windows and aroisluG the caees- W ~
s.v Of anxiety and toll The detachmen' o. or"n''-
stood ready at the corner OF the pr"de' ne" 'a'
s,tgviek monument and as the flag rolled out IN the
up regular cali ana marched along
The rrofessors row, disappearng finally thlodgh Inc
saypori III mysterious recesses behind inc c"o
barracks. Their disappearance. however, III II" "''
the noise FOR the drumming went on nervei
and faster than The cadets poured down ron '
ION divisions Of barracks and at word OF eoh'ha"u'
frned themselves into four orderly companies ior o
oil An occasional saintersr joined tAo r"""
from time to time; too late 10 escape 'NP'
list in to AVOID ih'Soi'S Wv
whole thing Tor this each particular iagg'ra VII. ~
ceive meet appropriate runishmen'' impar''''''
administered aud duly announced In orlerA ho'ie"
v tho cadets hurry baek their rooms and perform
snch simple ab.dtions are consistent WIN s"eep'"-
their rooms aud pattins them geaeraly 10 rights 3"
tbe twenty that are allotted ior the PURPOSE
lefore "police call" sounds Woe be to him VINO.
lingering over his toilet careSsns his bans orSetS 10
PIC hs bedding accurately AMI arrange his quarters or
,h,lv Police call ia in ne lstey followed by break
fast breakfast by guard mounting and guari mounting
by the nev3be examination; the reslstles' course Vi
which can be stayed by nothing snort OF the "r'
,.yal Of the President OF the United States An
ntcrmsSion from until 2:3O Is taken "d'a"'aSe
OF for dinner otherwise the mall Grnds steadily on until
ASo when ahai il called and the cadets are dismissed
in order 10 enable them to get ready for O'CLOCK
dr.
The sea coast battery at which the cadets were exer
eisd this afternoon stands by the waters edge az the
foot OF the slope or the plateau IL Is heaV!
carthen parapet about ten feet h'Sh ana
with an average thickness OF Twenty-Five
feet. Seven guns are mountei, SIX OF whicn
were used at drill to-day In rear OF the line or can
nop IS u heavy thirteen inch mortar mounted upon re-
volyins platform which is tsef embedded IN massive
foundation Of granite concrete. All tie guns III the
wafer or sea coast battery mounted in barDee. tht
is ,hoy ire over parapet anu not through IT, Dy
means Of ports or emOrlsdre as Is the case Win 'ne
se.e battery halfway up the HILL The two rgAt pieces
are n.:eeu.nch Rodnan guns OF pattern largely USED
daring the Civil War. Each Of them weighs $4,000
ponnds and fires q round shot weighing 80 pounds
with charge of forty pounds Of pebble powder
The four pieces In the centre are eighinch cohVere
raes; an experimental gun made by inserting rhcd
wrought ron tube into ten inch Rodmah smO0ihp0re'
qEcy ire an elongated shell weighing 200 pounds with
ehar-e of twenty-five pounds of powder The leIt ieee
Is ien-nch Roaman smoo;n pDre n iiaT nS me t,e
battery. It's projrcue Is spherica' shen "et.nins
200 pOuuus. It's charge OF powder is cOnslietdDI
less than that of the otHcr pieces weighing ohy neo
pounds ana giving OF course Su"rter laa%S an" ; II
less penetration and consequent ehcency IL Is hiu
elective only asanst the wooden SHIPS oil the
United states Navy These guns. iorhihao;e HU; "a, y,
same wci-ht passenger ocom otive-are now utterly
Obsolete anc inse;en aS-in' ,ns srs s ero
vidod. A fort armed with them conid DC DC
,Ins secnrey beyond their extreme range They
are the best we have; indeed. all that we have al
present which defend our coasts ant hdrbors
ihe West Point battery would not have witlstooa
sa oS boari the TSnclad ucIiSo Of the English
fleet. that bombarded Alexandria , .,
At ) O'Clock the srcond class entered the battery Ia
column OF detachnents and was formally reported to
Lieutenant Price. the officer III charge OF the lIacce
us chief TO particular bs gun and wheeled
mo line. facing the 'front.' about tHret tas
nom the instructor each squad faced to the
right marched forward, the Ranks ming III on each
off he, I'm
inward. hat after tae manner OIL PaIoea al
tionles regarding the of machinery III front OF
them as II specua;ing how was to be handled II.
indeed, the handing were within the range @ OF
human This state of affairs lasts but an In
stant however The sharp command " Load Is gwen
the place buseS with life as the detail OF io aug
begins. The cadets move rapidly hither and tnlther'
with Implement resembilns huge pair OF Ice t0hgs
run TO the pile OF balls retnrHinS @ aaS ,~H WIN ma
evidently taxing their carrying power to ,ns utmost
Another wooden receptacle about the size and
zine in quest of cartridge. Two more seize huge
sa6er Sp to the top Of he psrape followed closely by
the cartridge bearer. The box is opened and Large
der is thrust into the muzne of the gun and rammed
aone. Meantime The shell bearers have deposited tnsr
The foot OF the parapet whence Is hosted py
light IRON tackle to the pore g. I" .s e.s gum on
ihs a caTsrdse The loaGins party now spring
tie sponge staff placed and the gunner climbs up
vation He then carefully adjusts brass sights ana
trains the piece on the targets' two Thousand yards
the hring cord attached, and It's free end passed to
the carnoneer whose duty II is 10 pull the lanyard
and DISCHARGE the 'ece The INST! uetor now passes
along Of the battery to satisfy himself that ali is
ready and the guns accurately aimed his done,
he takes his station at the centre OF the line
and commands Ready" at which all the cadets,
except the firing cannoDcer at each piece retire 10 the
Lisi witnrss the effect OF the shot firsl piece
fire. The cannoneer sways back as he pulls the hring
line there cloud OF white smoke dull heavy roar
and quick eye can catch the shot Tor an stah. as IL
speeds lhroulh the air on Its way TO the target
through which 1t crashes againss tne 1 s"nd DaeSi
.d tha f.s h1ck on IN
cloud of smoke rses and "a second shot punges
into the behind the target. Five complete
air with smoke. The Ladies' with wonder and
aIuazement and the military spectator with regret
that were not bigger an more
effective Tbs practice excellent. however,
and number OF hits lch above tue average OF re-
years ln point Of rapdy aud accuracy or nre II
is doubtful whether to-day record has ever been ex'
ceed
The Board oiyis,ors is now complete. the last to
arrive being DR.. Kemp Battle of North Carolina TIL
fun list or the BIart - follows: X l. Gibson ana
General {. f. MaudersOn, OF the senate; General f. =
Bragg General Il. l. Vele and j. d. Lard OF the House
of REPRESENTATIVES: Professor w. G.. Snmner. OF Yale
COLLEGE; General George Il. Cosby, Adiutani-G Ger era
OF California; Colonel L. c. MeCorvey professor IN tht
Alabama state University General +. I. Nichols, o
Louisiana General William H. Blair, OF Pennsyvana
President n r. Battle, OF the North Carolina University
and Wilson :. Bissel of Buffalo The board Is fully or
ganiz and its various comnlttees VIII enter upon the
performance Of their duties on Monday.
COMMENCEMENT WEEK AT UNION COLLEGE.
SCHENECTADY, June 5.-The commencement
week at Union College will BEGIN June 20 with tho
baccalaureae sermon by the Rev. Dr. Ornison. OF New
YORK. The meeting OF the Phi Beta Kappa Society will
take pl ace at $50 a IN. Tuesday, June 81. Th'
prizes fororatory juniors and sophomoresw be com
tn nv fnef ln