The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-22

the Preside and Captain Lomia's battery
was sent to Alcatraz Island. Two light
batteries of the Fifth are still away on
practice march.
The artillery practice at the Preside this
month has been interesting and highly
instructive. Last Thursday General Ora
ham ordered firing practice with three
and-six-tenth-inch field mortar. Charged
shells were used. The common shells, as
well as shrapne were fred at ranges of
1000 and 1900 yards. The mortar was
placed on the hill near Fort Point. The
ground space target or zone of dispersion
was about half way between the firing point
and the Marine Hospital. Sentinels were
stationed on Mcdowell avenue and other
points 10 warn people from approaching
the spot. Observers were stationed safely
outside the zone of depression of the bull
let's from shrapnel or the fragments OF
other shells, to note the results of the
practice.
The target for the shrapnel consist ed
of platoon of dummy figures, each figure
representing the height and thickness of
| soldier. Sixteen hits were noted at range
OF 1900 yards. The shells. were exploded
in front and above the dummy platoon.
Shells were also thrown from the mortar
to explode behind imaginary hreastworks.
| The problem sought to be solved i'll this
practice was that of Smelling troops pro-
tected from direct fire by formidable
works in front. result OF the firing
was ascertained by a clock target. For
example, if the observer should note that
| the shell exploded to the right OF the
! figure 3 on the dial, the gunners must un-
derstand that direct line of fire had not
been maintained. The explosion of the
shell in the ground on the line of II or in
artio feIr hove ind
no divergence from the direct line. The
results OF the high-angle firing were graft
flying to-the officers.
The result attained by direct fire of the
eight-inch rifed guns at the Preside
equaled the precision noted last week at
AlcatraZ with guns OF the sam bore and
style.
The target in the bay was smashed sew
eral times at rance Of 1900 yards.
General Graham expects to bring the
twelye-inch breech-loading rifles into prac-
tice this week If the supply of powder
promised should be furnished. The big
rifles will send their proiectiles out to sea
! distance OF five or six miles, and the hits
| will be noted by the column OF water
| thrown up where the projectile strikes.
Two companies of the First Infantry,
| Z. S. A, came down from Benicia recently
and are now In camp on the Preside Reser-
walton. The tents are pitched near the
eastern line OF the reservation, few feet
north of the Union-street car tracks. The
infantrymen are practicing daily with the
new regulation rife, known as the Krag-
Jorgensen. Firing began at range of
| 200 yards. The distance has been gradually
| increased to 1000 yards. This weapon is
| new to the American soldier, but it was
| adopted by board of army officers after
! long series of competitive tests. The pene-
| trating power of the bullet at long range
is something wonderful, but com plants
came from army posts in the East that
accuracy in firing was not always secured.
| The results noted at the Presidio are very
| favorab bic to the gun.
! Orders from the headquarters of the
| Department of California, under date of
| J une Is, announce that Lieutenant Colonel
! William Sinclair, Fifth Artillery, is as
| signed TO station at Alcatraz Island.
! DIR. Edie, assistant surgeon, has been
assigned 10 duty at the Presidio.
| Contractor Murphy has established
camp at the Preside, and his graders are
at work filling in the marsh between the
main road leading to the wharf and the
eastern boundary of the reservation.
| At the office of Colonel Kimball the
chief quartermaster OF the department,
! bids will be received to- morrow for tun-
neling the Preside hill and sinking drive
wells.
Bids for the two new double brick bar
racks, for which an authorization to ex-
pend $4,000 was recently made, will be
opened July 8.
General Forsyth, the department. COM
mander. is with the troops N the Sierra.