The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-27
TARGET PRACTICE At SEA
MIR. ROOSEvELT'S EXPERIENCE ON
BOARD THE BATTLE SHIP IOWA.
An Interesting and Graphic Narra-
tive of How a Battle ship Goes Into
Action Against an Enemy.
Washington Letter in New York Sun.

to the battle ship Iowa during target prac-
tice. No vessel of the United States is
equal to the Iowa in size and formidability.
She is larger than the sister ships Indiana,
Massachusetts and Oregon, two of which
were in the squadron, and greatly out
classes the second-class battle ships Maine
and Texas which were also among the seven
vessels under rear Admiral Sicard. Tt was
because of her Superiority over all other
American men-of-war that Mr.. Roosevelt
selected the Iowa to furnish an exhibition
for his benefit, as assistant secretary of the
navy, of how a battle ship goes into action
against enemy. Target practice is the
nearest approach to actual marine warfare
that can be given in time of peace. 1t lacks
only the presence of an opponent, the dam
age from hostile guns, the possibility of de-
feat, the execution among officers and men,
and the intense excitement attending such
an engagement. Other conditions are the
same. Some degree of the excitement may
be included in the description of the peace
full method, a thing Mr.. Roosevelt and the
members of his party, one of whom was
Sun reporter, realized before they had been
on the Iowa very long
A clear sky, the absence of wind and
smooth sea made the conditions for target
New York told Captain Sampson, of the
Iowa, that the assistant secretary would
board his ship as soon as he had finished
luncheon on the dispatch boat Dolphin and
that Mr.. Roosevelt wanted to see how well
the gunners of the battle ship could put a
fanciful enemy out OF service. OF course,
the signals did not say this in so many
wigwags or flag symbols, but Captain
Sampson understood that that was what
was intended, and proceeded to make his
preparations accordingly Two whaleboats
were detailed to place the target in posi-
ton. They were pulled out a distance of
1850 yards from the Iowa with the target in
tow, and, after turning it adrift proceeded
to take their positions The target and
the two WhaleboatS marked the three cor
nerS of a triangle. A straight line between
the two whaleboats was the IoWas course.
From the decks of the battle ship the tar
get could be plainly seen without the aid of
glasses, a mere speck slowly wabbling in
the gentle roll of the sea- 1t was live feet
above the water. 1t consisted of wooden
framework, on which strips of canvas We're
stretched, diminutive makeshift of a hos
tile vessel, and not fairly representing the
ponderous bulk of modern armorclad.
UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS.
To make the condi lions more unfair to the
Iowa, her officers and men had not INDUCED
in target practice before. The guns had
been fired at her final inspection, but not
at floating mark. Few on board were
familiar with discharging such heavy ordi-
nance Target trials on the Iowa have been
limited to what is known as the subcalibre
practice This consists in sighting a big
gun at a target several hundred yards
away and firing a small arm rifle clamped
in the center of the more formidable piece
The rifle bullet follows the aim of the gum
ner, and his ability to sight a big gun is
tested by how near the projectile comes to
the mark. SUbcalibre practice is valuable
but it has its disadvantage in comparison
with the use of heavy ordnance, from the
necessity of shortening the distance be-
tween ship and target to suit the carrying
range of small arms. Therefore, the gun
crews of the Iowa were not thoroughly pre-
pared to make a good showing for the
benefit of the representative OF the Navy
Department. They did make a good show
ing, however, and MIR. Roosevelt was de-
lighted
The targets had been placed and the
decks cleared when Mr.. Roosevelt came
aboard accompanied by Commodore Bron-
son. who was with the secretary in an I'M
official capacity; Lieutenant Sharp, Mr.
Roosevelts aid, and others of the assistant
secretarys party. Everything tables TO be
damaged by conclusion had been removed
to a place of greater security. Side rails
were taken down to give free swing to the
guns. Hatch combings were slowed away
and the heavy steel battle plates screwed
in their places. Doors were left aJar, Win
dow sashes lowered, breakable articles
taken from insecure shelves. The glass
service presented to the ship by the State
of Iowa was kept were Unmatched and al
lowed to swing free to the ends OF pieces OF
Irvine. Small boats on the main deck were
slowed in the best places obtainable for i'm
pedimenta of their bulk.
In actual battle the captain of a ship goes
into the protective coming tower and
watches the progress of the engagement
through narrow Sits in the steel sides of
his shelter. On the occasion of Mr.. Roose-
Velt'S visit Captain Sampson took position
on the bridge with Lieutenant Commander
Rodgers, the Iowa executive othcer. Cap
tain Sampson is always calm and dignifled
He looked the ideal naval commander as
he stood on the bridge waiting for the
practice to begin. Lieutenant Commander
Rodgers, with a speaking trumpet slung
over his shoulders, was here. there and
everywhere, giving orders that mystihed
A terrific ringing of a gong was the
signal for a scene of activity, Officers took
their regular places with alacrity, while
the bluejackets and marines scampered to
the positions to which they had been as
signed. The officers who had charge. of
the turretS appeared in working clothes,
canvas jumpers old trousers and caps that
had seen better days. Theirs was dirty
work and regulation uniforms cost money.
1t was close quarters inside the turrets.
The day was warm and hardly any air was
stirring. The men who worked the turret
guns-the twelve-inch and eght-inch rifles
had little room to move about. Every
time a gun was fired the men in that par
ticular turret were nearly suftocated with
smoke and the fumes of powder.
THE DOCTORS PREPARATIONS.
The head surgeon on a war vessel is
known among officers and men as the bull
doctor" The preparations the bull doc
tor made assisted the imagination in
its tendency towards the idea that actual
hostilities were imminent. Down in the
sick bay he had cots arranged, surgical in
struments laid out and bandages prepared.
The jolly assistant surgeon helped TO make
things more warlike by dressing the arm Of
a sailor who had been injured through be-
coming entangled in an entirely peacedDle
anchor chain.
"Dockey," called out young officer to
the assistant, give me some cotton, will
you? Those damned twelve-inch fellows
will split my ears
So Dockey ran his hand down in his
trousers pocket and pulled out a Wad of
raw cotton. His uniform was streaked
with shreds of the fluffy stuff. The mem
bers of Mr.. Roosevelt's party were his prin-
cipal patrons.
Everybody on board the battle ship had
his duty to perform. The little Japanese
servants of the various meSses were not
exempted. They were assigned to the pow
der division. This was a sinecure job and
comfortable places or lay down on the floor
to wait until the firing was over. They did
not enjoy the practice.
On the bridge with Captain Sampson and
Executive Officer Rodgers were half a
dozen apprentice boys, who acted as mes
sengers. Tell Mr.. Tarbox to get ready"
Mr.. Rodgers would say to a boy. Hurry,
now, hurry and off the yOungster would
skip, assisted by a gentle push from the
executive officer. A cadet midshipman, who
hoped to be an ensign in year or two,
stood on the bridge holding his eyes to a
''fT'i arrangement telling how near the