The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-09
FIRING GREAT GUNS AT SEA.
DIsCoMFoR1S or sUoH NST.iI DRILL
AND TIRGET PRACTIOE.

ship f~ou. watch the shote Are Fired
Enormous sua Iupractieabie Eueii-h Ord
ra-e--Great roree OF che ProjsetIIss.
Ready 4" The lock lanyard tiehtens in the
eunper's hand as he bends down for one last
glance along the sights. There IL no sound
ssve OF the wind In the ears. and the splash
and glide Of the water along the ships side.
The sailors are at their posts By the gun.
waiting The long steel tube with the peaceful
glInts Of sunshine on It is waiting too. Far
out at sea white speck lazily rises and falls
on the swell. A gull is circling above It like .
leaf In the wind.
"Firew
The gunner moves. there is . rumblinR.
jarring crash. and for an instant everything
is obscured By q mass Of white smoke As It
blows past. every eye centres on the swayinR
speek in the sunlight The Lieutenant in
charge hxes his glass upon IL: the gunner
slowly draws In the lanyard as he watches.
The speck and the gull are all alone. but the
bird suddenly plies It's wings and darts away.
and then q pyramid OF RlistsninR foam rises
high out Of the water, fingers q moment. and
melts back. The white speck has vanished.
Struck, by Jovep'
The firing OF great guns at sea lie to tho ma
iority of laymen who have witnessed IL most
unpleasant experience. This is particularly
true OF the firing aboard a modern war ship. as
the steel construction yields q sensitive me-
dunn Of vibration. In time. however. one may
become accustome ed to the shock. Perhaps the
unpleasantness Is augmented by the extreme
quiet prevailing before the piece Is fred. Visit
ors to man-of-war from which salute IL to
be fred are frequently advised by one OF the
officers to stand upon their toes and keep their
teeth apart when firing commences. Such
precaution greatly lessons the force OF the
III. be, hall NoH 49, A.A
ing as cushion. and the parting OF the teeth
preventing excessive iarring OF the tympa-
nuns OF the ears.
When target practice on q war ship takes
place the ship is cleared for action. All NOV
able objects on deck are sent below, light
Yards and masts are sent down, and prepa-
rations are made for passing powder
and shot through the deck chutes.
The humor In which the Captain arises
generally controls the extent to which
the operations are carried. 5Sand may even be
thrown on deck about the guns. This is al
ways done In action to prevent the crews from
Slipping In the blood expected soon to flow.
The white target with its black. square bulls
eye is foated on casks about 1000 or 5000
yards distant at sea- and then the laundering
begins Strange as 1t may seem. the firing
from the turrets OF our harbor defence ships 10
not half so unpleasant for those within the
steel boz as IL Is for guns crew firing
on open deck. Tho gun passes through
a very narrow port in the turret
and its muzzle is. in a modern gun. quite
distance away. Tho waves OF air generated
BY the discharge find but little opportunity to
enter the turrst and the sound OF firing is
therefore greatly diminished. Some one de-
seribed the sensation In the turret as very
when II begins hurried descent. An officer
who had been aboard the monitor Miantono-
he sssosE ss Ta sh s'F arass
practically wanting: Not so when q shot
daSr Tie sv war as Thsn the ss sSa
cussion was terrific. frequently causing bleed
ing at the nose and ears.
and the facilities for % them SaSe
increased so have their, size and con seauent
aouetod sse budns up hee "a 2einsh
guns, although they were finally found to be
cs mae sFGs e. sns Sus saS
Of xsr Eesisa li6 tons . snd
were tested a Charge Of ninety six pounds
ao.ze roV proee 3Sa't Of ui sound: The
tTsnsy sss Of dse T Hfs SIsn
feet OF concrete. and six feet of brick. Two OF
tasss RIsqsd aboard shs victoria
The ship vent to sea icr targs s rractse ons
& ' T.. RSss GSs ssi
EES S, and a sold shet When the smoke
from the guns uuzsis to the bow had been
& the explosion. The steel backing under
ship was demolished. After that smaller
The ships side 80 that Tie w msss
could taks-np the shock. The Miantonomoh
N cans 50 disastrous One Of her aftsr.turr rel
guns Of ten inches calibre was fired astern at
sn Il. GO1 o the %
ware in the Officers quarters. Had the gun
leck would undoubtedly have presented the |
appearance Of having been harroyed,
mar. war b. her own 6sttsry Is taken very
lssss'itAk q sngags@fe1s A ship q
ain conditions, An enemy Is busy tear:
hE few w R di SPLINTER a1 @atssr s sas
title. The srpored cruiser Maine. now IN |
Is re Sax1 snd
'our 10:inch rifles in barbette. Two are |
nounted forward on the starboard side and |
structure. or deck house. is divided aft In order
hat the port gunsmay he trained on an object
IN lu0 Uediu- ~ tnoy Mttc 50 tthinou
md fired the conclusion would peel of her |
lecking In strips. and II the guns were pointed |
lireotly ahead it Is probable that all the iron |
ioors of the superstructure would be torn |
away. But these matters 10 the heat OF action |
ire of minor importance.
The story is related that an English Captain |
discovered during the course of great gun |
practice aboard his ship that the pictures and |
Drle-a- orAc about his cabin were being utterly |
by the conclusion OF the guns. |
Looking glasses were smashed and the walls |
we're dsnuded Of their hangings. He asked |
he ofieer In charge how many times the guns
be regulations governing the practice deslG- |
lated eight as the number The superior |
,fllcsr stormed and said he would not continue
iispes ition should be made of the shot
Throw them oyerboard!" exclaimed the |
captain. This story may be discredited. as such |
'rssehss Of regulation are really unknown In
lnval service.
il cannot be said that target practice is rel.
shed by officers. as IL is likely to be a very |
lirtY business on account of the powder and |
noke.. The guns Of our navy are nearly all
oyersd with mixture Of Ahelae and beeswax
'olished to great brillianey. This has to be- re-
IeWed and rspO!ished after firing.
A visitor CHANGED 10 be aboard the old mont |
or Nantucket during firing. He was shown
q ~. .ghfE kafn Ait, k,,..,