The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-06-17
ACCURATE GUNNERY.
SCIENCE RULES THE FIRMS OF MOD
ERIN NAVAL WEAPONS.

SCIENCE RULES THE Firing OF MOD
ERIN NAVAL WEAPONS.
The Intricate Yet Rapid Method by Which
the Gunner ''Gets the Drop" on His Enc
my Calculations Which Involve the
Higher Mathematics.
Ask q modern man-o' wars man what
powder monkey is and he will smile at
your seeming ignorance and tell you that
the powder monkey was boy who in the
days when wooden frigate was the ideal
line of battle ship used to hand the powder
up from the magazine in the vessel low
est hold to the gun deck, adding that he
is now obsolete. The passing of the pow
der monkey is one of many things which
mark the difference between the old navy
snd the new. The difference began when
the hydraulic lift supplanted the powder
monkey, when the ordinary seaman be-
came something more than mere man Of
Drawn and courage, and ended with the
transformation of the gunner from the
grade Of ordinary seaman, who knew but
to obey order, into trained man capable
of working with accuracy and precision.
"All the difference in the world, " said
an old seaman who began his naval life
as a powder monkey 80 years ago, but who
now cannot qualify as q gunner of any
class, in commenting on the changed con-
ditions Now it's all matter of educa-
ton, and while / used to be called a good
man at the butt end Of an old smooth
bore my place is taken by lads and I'm
laid by"
The ordinary seaman OF the present
navy, who operates the small guns which
compose the secondary battery of battle,
ship and are used only at close range, has
taken the place of the old time gunner,
and he in turn has risen and is now war
rant officer, occupying place between the
seaman and the noncommissioned officer,
having a mess apart from the ordinary
seaman. He is not, however, eligible to
advancement further than that of a gun
ner of the first class. Below him are the
gunners of the second class, formerly the
gunners' mates, and the gunners Of the
third class, who in the days of the old
navy were known as the gunners' appren-
tees. In the old order Of naval affairs
gunners rose from the rank Of ordinary
seaman and had as their only claim to
their titles the skill in the point blank
shooting of the time acquired by long
practice.
Besides the cool head, steady hand and
keen eye of the old time gunner, the gun
ner of the new navy must possess gun
ner's education, including not only thor
ough knowledge of both common and dec
imal fractions, but also the use and ap-
plication of the principles Of algebra,
geometry, trigonometry and trajectory.
He is taught, first, that to locate to
nicely the object upon which he is to train
his gun he must observe 1t from two diff
ferent points, and then having established
base line and the two adjacent angles
by the science of triangulation he finds the
intervening distance. Many experiments
have resulted in the formulation Of tables
and the invention Of mechanical instru
ments which make the calculation mat
ter of but a few seconds. These are based
upon the science of trajectory and enable
the gunner to know in an instant at what
angle to elevate his gun.
Comparatively simple rs this may seem
with the use Of the instruments and tables,
it embraces in naval gunnery accurate
calculations of the speed and direction Of
motion of the vessel carrying the gun, the
speed and direction of motion of the tar.
get if it be another ship, and the direc-
ton and velocity of the wind, not one OF
which can be disregardcd if the range be IA
long one, but which ut close range are
overcome to a great extent by the shorter
distance and by the high rate of speed at
tanned by the projectile.
In the case of moving vessel being the
target, the range is determined by means
of the range finder and noted. After an
interval of two minutes or a convenient
fraction thereof second calculation Is
made. BY the tables the distance in yards
between the two points is determined, and
this divided by the interval of time gives
the speed. By another table, based upon
the rate Of speed attained by the proJectile
and the range, the distance which the tar
get will have traversod during the flight OF
the projectile may be obtained and the
gun aimed at such an angle as to cause
| the shot to take effect as desired.
BY another process, il the ship upon
| which the gunner is stationed be moving,
and to this exact reduction of the science
| is due tho almost marvellous marksman-
| ship of the Yankee gunners.
| While our modern gunner must know
thoroughly all this, he does not have the
opportunity in an engagement to apply it.
| To the officers in the coming tower and
| In the turret falls the task of determining
| the ranges. This Is usually done by the
officers on board the flagship and COM
municated to the officers on board the 9th
or ships by means of signals. From them
the gunner in tho turret gets his angle,
and by means Of lever and scale ele-
Yates or depresses his gun as his orders
may require.
Then comes the task which he alone
may perform Attached to his gun near
the breech is q powerful telescope, fitted
| at the outer lens with a horizontal and q
vertical hair, crossing at right angles in
| the center. Through this he locates his
mark and, having done SO, knows that
his aim Is true.
| In spite Of the exactness of the science,
it Is necessary, under unfavorable atmos-
pherie conditions, such as fog or rain, to
resort to tho old method of trial shots A
smaller gun is used, and by means Of a
range finder attached to its breech the
range can soon be determined.
Then the gunner applies the knowledge
which has given him his rank, and science
docs what the greatest skill Of the old days
could not.
The long range shot of the new guns,
the one which enables the gunner nova
DAYS to watch the course Of the projectile
and note the havoc 1t creates even at the
distance Of several miles, was impractical
BILE because Of the small power Of the old
smoothbore The close blank shot and
the broadside were the ones upon which
the old gunner counted for victory. With
out the aid OF science he sighted his cum
bersome piece while his crew stood ready
with ramrod, swab, powder and shot
Minutes were consumed in the execution
of the orders: Load To battery Fret
while now each order is expected to DO ex-
ecuted in few seconds
Where ten shots whistled harmlessly
about the ears of the enemy then the
modern gunner feels his disgrace keenly If
by chance in an entire engagement one or