The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-06-26
ApxIRAL LUCE ox TIE SAW.

ADMIRAL LUCE on THE NAVY.
He relis where shs serstee Has
Beea 1nprsve1. - uAs several
Yraessenl Ideos shss Be n Wsxk-
fng Ouf-
fyex York worid.l
Axxsruxss. Nd. June IL
The ships Of the North ATLANTIC
sasssdrou. consisting 81 the flagship
Richmond. the steel cruiser Atlanta
ard the cprvxftes GaIena. O<sjr<e and
Yanfir. have sIl been here during the
exercises Of the Naval Academy They
have never before been 30 efficient rs
today. with Rear Admiral stephen
Becker eDfa Admiral
Lstce has worked hard daring the past
fxensv months. since he has becil IN
command o. the squadron. and has
been constantly employed IN xorking
out practical schemes for the general
benefit OF the service The great heet
man9svres Of the squadron, which
took place in Nara gansstt Bay last
fail. as fully reported in the HavSd at
that time. demonstrated Admiral
I.uress ability IS tacfic;an. and to-
day the Teteran sailor Is busy preparing
plans for the coming fan manTuvres
near Newport. where both army and
navy viii take part Admiral Luce -
the founder of the Naval War college
at Coaster Harbors Island. near New
port, the father OF the american ma
val apprentice system IN the navy,
and the author of I" Luee's seaman
ship and many other scientific
wo-ks. lie was found this afternoon
in his cabin on board the old flagship
Richmond The World correspondent
took seat opposite 10 him, near
large gunport on the starboard side,
where the admiral has established ms
studio and where he spends the most OF
his time. Surrounded by books and
with stack of iettersin froat Of him,
the dsniral dro2aei his pen. All.
resting his chin between his left thumb
and foreiingcr. with one eye hall shut
and the other wide open. said:
You want 10 know something about
nv order issued 20 this squadron con-
eerning future gunnery and torpedo
drills. Well, in the first place, have
called the attention Of all the officers
in this squadron to the necessity for
skillful and intelligent direction OF the
military tfttiS u ~ Sfitt. AssiSh isi.tA az
division, torpedo gang or company
should be led by the officer who has
charge OF his instruction through the
various steps necessary to make him
thoroughly competent 10 perform his
work. Particularly in this squadron,
where the crews are frequently
changed. this /. difficult OF accom-
pIishment. but il must be done. The
T. II. \. 10 stx
prevalent in cur service of laying down
. routine of drills for each day of the
week. and adhering 10 this with little
variation throughout ships comnis-
sion, must for the present, at least,
be abandoned. This custom, which,
under any circumstances, Is OF doubt
ful utility, is condemned by the vary
ing degree of training of the crews OF
this squadron and the changing arma-
ment OF vessels. These changes have
affected even the ornaments of our
Old wooden ships, and the officers
and men must educate themselves,
30 far az is possible with the old
ornaments, for the use of new arms.
The object. then. OF all drill must be TO
turn out a body OF men skilled in the
use OF q weapon which naval tactics
tells US will occur in battle. A guns
crew that works a gun in and out, and
goes through the motions of loading
in q spiritless manner. il doing no
good. and company of a brigade
going through the manual of arms by
numbers, unless its members are in
strueted in the use of their pieces with
bah cartridges, is wasting time Bat
guns crew occupied in quick training
in obedience TO the gun captains order,
or. best of all. in target practice, Is
well employed. The truth Is that, after
n guns crew has learned To train and
load a gun quickly, they ought TO have
very little drill at the gun, only enough
TO make sure they do not lose this skill.
When the men are well trained very
little drill Will suffice TO keep them so,
and the number OF drills in which
seamen are expected 10 be proficient
viii still keep everybody busy"
What are your recommendation
regarding gugnery driils?H
As regards great gun drills, con-
tinue,i Admiral Luce, "a strong effort
should be made 10 have at least three
or four men in each guns crew who
are exceptionally good marksmeii.
The two gun captains will. of course,
be OF this namber. The gun captains
should have frequent practice with the
ride under such circumstances as will
be likely 20 improve their skill ~
marksmen with the great gun.
would recommend two methods OF
reaching this end One consists of
iashing rides to the great guns, and
firing with these at reduced targets at
short distances; and the other, in Civ
ing the gun captain plenty OF practice
I'M firing from moving platform with
lies. One Of the best ways of accom-
pl4shing this Is by causing them to fire
from an anchored boat Mt a target on
shore. BY this means a man can be
rat behind n blind near the target
and the point struck by each shot sig
ualed. Gun captains must be taught
that they must aim quickly. The mis-
take OF hanging too long on the sights,
apart from loss of celebrity of fire, may
sometimes be shown BIZ holling a
cap in front of sights which
have been iaborionsly and slowly ad-
juste5, and then suddenly removing it.
and IL win often appear that the sight
ing il erroneous. The riflemen also
OF each gun should have as much OF
the prac ice from an anchored boat at
target on shore "a is possible. The
riieinen should he drilled at the bayo-
net exercise in case they are armed
with that weapon. The boarders
should be drilled in using the sword
AMI should have frerent practice in
using the pistol: first from fixed
platform and afterwards from boat
at 4 target on shore or at moving
mark hung at the yard-arm or whisker-
end. is. of course. very desirable
To- know exactly where every shot
strikes In target practice. but il is not
well, by any means TO abolish target
practice when impossible Ia have il
under idea, conditions. The object OF
great gun drill i TO teach the guns
crews to handle their guns so well
that they can FIRE rapidly and accurate
~. aad also teach the boarders, ride
men and others II the gun their ad-
diiioual duties.
." A. FAR a. company and battalion
drills are concerned" continued the
admiral. the company officers should
assure themselves that each ore OF
their inca knows how t. take care OF
and fire his piece Asregards artillery
drill. thi; shoald bc governed by the
general principles already laid down.
It's target practice should occur both
from = boat and shore. Here. as be-
fore. the rules 81 the probable emf
ployment az the artillery in battle
must he always in view. and II the
conduct al a target practice Is based
upen sound views ia tais regard and
is results carefully noted, series of
experiments most useful and interest