The San Francisco call., 1895-12-30
Preside Review Tuesday Morning
in Honor of Rear.Admiral
Beardslee.
SCIENCE OF HEAVY GUNNERY
The Monterey Could Whip the British
Ship Royal Arthur-The De.
layed Baltimore.

General Graham, q. s. A., commander
of the military post at the Presidio. has
rendered a review of the troops IN honor of
Admiral Beardslee. U. S. N. flagship
Philadelphia. The review will take
on the field near the terminal station of
the Union street cars. All of the troops,
artillery cavalry and infantry. stationed at
the garrison will participate in the review.
The military pageant will doubtless as
semble large throng of spectators from
San Francisco and Oakland,
During the past two weeks experiments
have been made on the reservation 10
ascertain the quantity OF water flowing
from the wells. These tests have been
made under the direction of Colonel A. S.
Kim ball, chief quartermaster of the de-
partment. The supply of water is found
to be abundant For example, continuous
pumping in any one well does not lower
tn level of the water in any other we'll of
the group. Twelve wells supply the gar
rison with water. 1t is regarded as GER
tain that the wells tap the large streams of
wa ter which supply Mountain Lake.
During the past six months the Govern
ment has been liberal in expend iture of
money for permanent improvement and
road building on the res 'rvation. The
new double brick barracks and the new
steel wharf will soon be ready for use.
The fiscal year ends June 80 next, and be-
fore that time a certain percentage of the
appropriation reserved for emergencies
may be secured for further improvements
at the Presidio. General Nelson A. Miles,
commanding the army, and General K. n.
Batchelder, quartermaster general, were
stationed for many years in this depart
ment and are thoroughly informed as to
the Importance and requirements of the
Preside reservation. Army officers re-
gard it as fortunate for San Francisco that
these officers, why now WELD SO much au-
thority, have clear knowledge of affairs
at the Presidio.
Officers in this department expect that
much good will result from the s'war
talk" inasmuch as the attention of the
country will be directed to the necessity
OF increasing the army, and particularly
the necessity of strengthening the artil-
lery arm of the service. General Graham
has submitted to General Miles at th lat
ter's request a plan or system of regi-
mental and general competition in the ar
tillery.
A years training is required to make a
soldier fairly serviceable as gunner, and
besides the soldier must have ordinary
education in reading and mathematics to
begin with. The efficient gunner must
understand the use of the thermome eter.
barometer and aerOmeter. He must be
able to measure the velocity of the wind,
the density OF the air and com pute the
effect of atmospherical conditions on
projectile fired from the gun. He should
be able to test powder and should be
familiar with electric circuits He ought
TO be trained in the handling of barbette
and casemate guns, the 12-inch breech-
loading rifles, the 10-inch disappearing
guns, the mortars and the dynamite bat
terry.
Army officers who are familiar with the
subject 90 not view with much favor the
suggestion that National Guard regiments
should be trained in heavy artillery work.
The guardsmen employed in foundres,
stores and offices of the City could not
spare time from their respective places of
employment to undergo the practice re-
quired to perfect them in the science of
gunnery. The National Guard regiments
may be easily trained as infantry, and in
that branch of the service NAV become
effective. The chief weakness of the guard
as it exists to-day is the inability of the
citizen soldiery to endure the fatigue and
exposure of marching.
Should the present contention between
the United States and England result in
war the Fifth Artillery Regiment, U. s. A.,
The soldiers would be kept constantly at
the guns defending the harbor. There
should be for each heavy gun twelve men,
relief force of twelve and a reserve force
of twelve men. For 100 guns OF large
caliber there should be an artillery force
of 5000 men.
When the cruiser Baltimore left Yoko-
hama it was expected that she would ar
rive at this port before New Years day,
but as she had not reached Honolulu
when the steamship China lett that port
the opinion is formed among officers of
the navy that the cruiser will not get here
before January g. 1t is thought that the
Baltimore encountered the severe storm
early this month which compelled the
China to lay-to for thirty hours on the run
from Yokohama to Honolulu. The storm
may have struck the cruiser with greater
force than the China encountered. Officers
figure that the cruiser will coal at Homo
lulu and stay there for week, perhaps,
to size up the situation of affairs.
Lieute Werlich's sentence to six
months suspension is regarded by officers
of the navy as about what should have
been expected when the plea of guilty was
entered. 1t Is light sentence, put no
lighter than the circumstances justified.
The Philadelphia will remain in port
for several days. Sailing orders have not |
been received by either the Boston or
Philadelphia. When the latter cruiser !
leaves she will sail for southern ports.
While it is not disputed that the most |
powerful battle-ships of the world belong |
to the English navy, it is the general |
opinion of American officers here that the |
British have nothing on the Pacific now |
that would prove q match for the |
Monterey. IN a sea duel between the |
Royal Arthur OF the British fleet and the |
Monterey it is thought that the latter |
would surely defeat her antagonist. This |
is the judgment of men who are not given |
to boasting, bat who have studied the
fighting qualities of the two vessels.