The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-10-01
PRACTICE DID 1T
A Years New Work Made
Good Navy Gunners.
System ana Its Inauguration -A1kew Rarine
Night Work-Cspfain Crownin-
shield.

AS the remarkable gun practice of the
United States sailors exhibited at Manila
and Santiago and elsewhere has attracted
the attention of the whole world, with the
result of calling forth much speculation
as to how this high degree OF proficiency
has been attained, it is proper to state
that this is of comparatively recent devei-
opnent, and is ascribable entirely to the
energetic efforts of the Navigation Blu
by the hearty cooperation OF the COM
handing officers of our ships, says the
New York Tribune.
About a year ago Captain Crownin-
shield, Chief of the Navigation Bureau.
assisted by Ensign Ward, one of the
brightest and most scientific OF the young
officers of the Navy, began to recaSt
the entire system of gun practice az II
existed in the Navy. In their opinion that
last war, was not sufficient for the needs
of the day. at the beginning ii was found
that, owing to the restrictions imposed by
the departmental rules, it was scarcely
possible to have gun practice aboard ships
more than once year, instead of once
d quarter, contemplated Courses had
to be laid out, and stakeboats placed at
angles and records taken, making it ex-
tremely difficult to find conditions admit
ting of the practice.
Captain Crowninshield al once changed
these rules and impressed upon comman-
ders the Importance of gun practice at
every opportunity, even where il was not
possible to lay a course, in which case
might be tossed over as the ships We're
under way. Moreover, the number of
times that target practice must be had
was increased to seven annually. Then
orders were issued calling for night prac-
tice, repelling torpedo-boat attacks, etc,
Following this Captain Crowninsheld
turned his attention to the personnel of
the gun corps and induced the Secretary
of the Navy to sanction the rating of gun
captains, new rating entirely and one so
well paid as to excite the ambition of the
men. Under the old system the chief gum
ners were not chosen for their proficiency
in gunnery, but received their stations be-
cause they happened to be petty officers,
such quartermaSters or bOatsWainS or
the like. This system was completely re-
versed, and sailors were made petty Off
GERS because they We're good gun cap
tains, thus getting rid of a number of in
efficient men.
The next step was to instruct the gun
ners, and they were placed aboard GER
tain vessels set apart solely for that pur-
pose Thus a crew of these gunners was
given to the Amphitrite, and she was sent
to Port Royal. S. c., for extensive drills.
The purpose in selecting this place was to
secure a large body of water free from the
presence of merchant marine. Beins
away from large cities both officers and
men also were able to avoid distraction
Of attention from their work, which made
remarkable progress. Thus, through care
full calculation and hard work, when the
war broke out the American Navy had a
splendid nucleus for the magnificent corps
of Seamen gunners which it developed to
the surprise of the world.