The Portland daily press., 1888-10-16
PRAcTIcINc WITH BIG GUNS.
Yesterdays Shoot by the Soldiers at
Fort PrebIe.
Six Shots at a Target More than a
Milo Distant.

Yesterday was the day appointed for the
heavy rifle practice at Fort Preble, and In
the afternoon the report of the big guns
echoed in the harbor. target 10 10 feet
made of canvas, with bulls eye painted in
the center, was fixed to a raft which was
anchored near the west end of Cushing
Island, 1890 yards from the fort. A base line
some 1900 yards long, with one end al
the fort and the other on the Cape shore To
the west, was drawn, and a crew of men
with Instruments stationed at each end for
the purpose Of observing where the hall
struck. knowing the angles made with the
base line by lines drawn from each end NJ
the base line to the place where the proiec.
tue struck, II became simple geometrical
problem to determine how far from the puns
and how near the target the shot struck.
h'gnt men, muzzleioading rifle guns, weigh
ing about 1900 pounds, were used. These
guns TWO in number, were made from the
ola fashioned ten inch, smooth bore guns by
putting in steel rifle lining. The shot,
known as Butler projectile, weighed 176
pounds. and thirty-fve pounds of powder
were used at a charge. Each gun was
manned by six men. and the battery was in
charge of Captain Fuger. These guns are
capable of throwing the huge projectile five
miles. and at mile range the projectile will
go through vessel whose sides areprotect
eddy eight inches of solid iron.
A fresh wind was blowing yesterday after
noon, and allowance had to be made for
it.
1t was with great interest that the specta-
tators watched the preparations for the
hrst shot, Considering that the target
was small and situated more than a mile
from the fort, 1t was regarded as a difficult
task to aim one of the big rifles, which are
without the improved sights, SO accurately
that the proJectlle would hit the mark.
A cloth bag containing IS pounds of DOW
der was placed in rifle No. 1, and then the
men lifted the heavy projectueto the muzzle
and slid it in. When all was ready the men
retreated to the rear of the gun, and by
means OF flag signal was made to the OBJ
servers at the ends of the base line to stand
by their instrument and be on the lookout
for the place where the projectile fell.
Capt. Fuger then shouted "Ready, gun No.
IL? A man stood with string in hand lit
tie to one side of the gun, ready to pull when
the word fire should be given.
"Fire!" shouted Capt Fuger. and at the
same moment the huge gun belched forth a
great cloud of smoke, and the harbor echoed
and re-echoed with the terrific report, and
the projectile, plainly visible when half a
mile from the muzzle of the rifle, went
ss SURE through the air. striking with
loIce ,nat sent column of water high in the
ar, a little to the right and in front of the
Target. An instant later the projectile was
seen, to strike the water half
mile further. out sending a foaming
column forty. feet into the aik A second
proJectife sank into the sea. Sergeant Wren
VINO aimed the gun, proved that he had
good eye, for had an ir0n-clad been where
the target was she would have received the
time the observers at either end of the base
line had sgnalled their observations, which
were duly recorded by the officer in charge
Of the battery. By this time the gunners had
ioaaed rine NO. 2, Sergt. Thornhil had care
second Shot '"o
n Ready, gun No. 2 frep' shouted Can't.
fuger, and then came the defening report
ana the scream Of the projectile. This, too.
was an admirable shot, the ball striking
ao od zen yards to the left and little be-
men stationed at the ends of the base line
were made and recorded as before.
Inc third proJectile, fired from gun No. /.
winch was aimed by Sergeant Lohr, struck
SO near the target as to cover it with water
winch was thrown into the air.
sergeant propping aimed the fourth gun
ana the shrieking prejectie struck little 10
the left and beyond the target. "
Inc nth shot, an equally good one. was
aimed by Corporal Bourk, and the sixth and
iast shot, aimed by the experienced eye of
Corporal GillOn, to the great delipht 81 tha
spectators. demolished the target.
The officers at the fort say that Yesterdays
rlne practice was the best ever Witnessed in
the harbor. Any of the shots fired would
have hit vessel. "o1'1
ms afternoon the practice will be con-
tlnued at longer range, and doubtless will
De quite as interesting and instructive as
Yesterdays trial was. 10