Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-21
AMERICAN GUNNERS.
Cause OF Their Superior Workmanship.

ifidISillp SutNH Wy tlit americans Ill
the naval victories of Manila ana the
silencing of Matanzas batteries. 1t
seems as if the guns which were used
With such telling effect by the Ameri-
can gunners We're no more than pop
guns in the hands of the Spaniards.
Everybody is asking why it is that We
are So much better at this game than
the dons, our superiority being greater
than anybody expected ii would be.
II is not luck. / is due to hard work
and constant practice, although the
natural superiority of the Anglo Saxon
in games Of skill is partly responsible
But the work that has been gone
through to prepare for just such a bat
tie as that in the harbor of Manila is
enormous. The navy is constantly
drilled. and those Europeans who be-
lieVed that there was no such thing as
discipline with us have been astounded
to find that there is no better discipline
in the world. The men act not only as
p4rts of a great machine. but intelli-
gently. They not only obey orders,
but they are able to do 50 the better
because they have the intelligence to
appreciate the advantage of obeying
orders promptly.
The result is that the American pub
lie which is pretty much in the habit
Of disparaging. is now about ready to
believe that the American seamen are
the best in the world, and While other
nations may have larger naVics and
more ships, what we have is as good, If
not better. than that belonging to any
other country, Europe realizes this to
day. Manila and Matanzas have taught
them that we are unexcelled as marks
mn.
This excellent craftsmanship is the
result of constant practice. 1t i eX
pensiVe practice at thai, ana perhaps
SPANS lack of practice has been due
to the inability OF the dons to afford
the expenditure that il entails The
cost may he appreciated when it is
learned that it cost Uncle sam 5000
every time the Puritan discharged one
of her big guns.
Such a sum as this prevents much
practice. our navy has adopted other
means of insuring proficiency on the
part Of her gunners. Our ships are ol-
liged to have target practice with big
guns at least once every three months,
when the number Of shots to be fired is
prescribed by regulations. which vary
as the men grow in proficiency. The
great expense attached to this neces-
sarilv reduces the number Of shots fired
from each gun.
But in order that practice may be
kept up daily drills are substituted.
=
ing drills.
The great gun practice takes place
under conditions as near as possible to
those which would arise in actual war
fare. The target is ancho red ana the
guns are trained ON it both while the
ship is moving and while she is sta
tionaTy.
This target is placed upon a platform
supported by barrels. Up from the
center comes Il pole on The summit Of
which IS attached rcd tlag. Then
there are four protruding canvas wings
or sails with . semi-crclc painted on
each so that ne matter which way the
target shifts there is always a bulls
eye To aim at
The target may be placed ut any dis
lance oui side of l90a wards from thc YES
sells. Twelve hundred yarls is usually
thu range. TO each gun is allotted Ger
tain number Of fires. or "StrinE5. IS
they ar, technically called.
The total number Of shots fred during
ono quarter for ship. say Of tn Texas
class. would hc ci3. Two l2-incn guns
would fire three shots each. on" each
with full charge and two each with re-
duced charges The weight Of the shot
would be 500 pounds. ana the charge of
powder from 800 To 400 pounds.