The times., 1898-08-11
THE NAVY'S SECRET.
A Range Finder Accounts for the
Good Shooting OF the Navy

The explanation which the Boston
Transcript gives OF the extraordinary
craftsmanship of the gunners in our ma
wy is that We have a range finder that
is perfect. It says:
Since the welcome news Of Admiral
Dewey's remarkable victory at Manila on
the lst OF May was published Throughout
the civilized world. it has been a matter
for wonder everywhere. not less in the
United States than in Europe, that the
American gunners were able to destroy q
Spanish squadron in a Spanish harbor
without the loss of a single American
life. When history repeated itself at
Santiago two months later the wonder
was intensified.
in the Government building at the
Trans Mississippi Exposition is an exhib-
II which in a measure explains the mys-
terry This is a naval range finder. the in
vention of United St.tes naval officer.
Up TO date no one outside of Uncle Sans
service has been able TO discover how it
is operated. The instrument is shown in
a glass case. with various other nautical
ants refuse 10 answer questions as TO its
method of working
''In showing the enormous advantages
derived from the use of this instrument.
one of the naval officers in charge of the
exhibit says:
1t is fact that no other navy has
any means of finding the range that does
not involve a mathematical calculation.
This implies good deal of time lost,
and in most cases they find it quicker to
get the range by actual experiment The
Spaniards, for instance. have TO fire sew
eral shots before they can get the range
of one of Uncle Sans ships If their first
shot falls short they try again and then
| they are apt to overShoot and by that
| time the position of the vessels may have
| been altered and they are still at sea
| Meanwhile the officer in the coming tow
er of the American ship has located them
| almost exactly with this instrument and
| reported the range by telephone TO the
| various gun captains. This has only con-
| sumed a few seconds, and while the
| Spaniards are stir trying to get their
| range the shells from the American guns
are sweeping their decks.
The peculiar thing about the instru-
| ment,' continued the officer. is that
| while it is one of the simplest things In
| the world for anyone who knows its Sc
cret, the most expert mechanic or in
ventor might examine it as long as he
wanted to and still be unable to discover
| how it works. This is why representa-,
tives of other navies have been com.
| pletely baftied in their efforts to find il
| out. They have range-finders of theil
| own, but none that gives the same in
| stantaneous and accurate results. AnC
| as long as they can be kept in the darl
| we will be able to outshOot any natior
| on earth. even if there was no difference
| in the skill of the gunners.
| There is another advantage in the ust
| of the instrument which amounts TO con
| siderable in the course of half a doZer
naval engagements. 1t costs 81 $50 to fir'
a pair of thirteen-inch guns once. If th'
/ Spaniards go into a fight they must fir'
| at least two shots to secure the range
| Frequently these do not answer. and the!
| go on shooting $3.50 charges in the air
| while every pound of powder that goe
| into United States gun is utilized. Tn
/ ability of the American gunners to OBJ
| tain the exact position of the enemy be
| fore a gun is fired saves thousands o
| dollars in ammunition in every engage
| ment.'