Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-06-24
GOOD MARKSMEN.
OUR MARINES CAN SHOOT AC.
CuRATELY.

J mcnt at Manila and Matanzas-
| The Superior Skill of American
Gunncrs Due to Practice and
System.
Our two naval victories, the silenc-
ing of the batteries at Matanzas, by
Sampson, and the bombardment of
Manila, by Dewey, have caused q
thrill OF pride to permeate the breast
OF every true American citizen. The
thing that has impressed us most is
the superior craftsmanship of our
gallant defenders OF the Stars and
Stripes. The Spaniards have ap-
parently been unable to do any execu-
ton with their guns, while every shot
| fired from the American ship seems to
have told tale of destruction.
| The natural query is: "Why is it?"
How, asks the average citizen who is
not conversant with naval affairs, can
our ships do such damage without re-
taliation? And the unthinking ones
set it down as an evidence of the luck
of war. But it is no such thing, as
serts the New York Herald. 1t is the
result of constant drilling and beau
tifully disciplined navy. There are
too many calamity howlers in Amer
ica. 1t would be better should we
blow our horns a little more. There
is too great tendency to apologize
for our insufficient navy. Does Ma.
tanzas warrant it? Isn't Manila suf-
ficient proof that our sailor boys can
more than take care of themselves?
AS a matter of fact, our boys can
give the defenders of Spain cards and
spades in the matter of craftsmanship.
That much has been proven to our
own satisfaction and to the discom-
future of the dons. And if you come
right down to it, there is no little
comfort in the assurance of our super
iority in this respect over most of the
navies of the world.
1t Is no inexpensive thing, this
drilling of gunners. 1t is n luxury
which Spain cannot afford. Hence
her poor showing in the recent en-
counters which she has had with our
ships. This fact may be easily un-
derstood when you realize that dur
ing the bombardment of Matanzas
Uncle Sam paid 5000 every time the
Puritan discharged one of her big
guns.
Of course, in practice, this would be
extremely expensive. Consequently
our navy had adopted other means OF
insuring proficiency on the part of
her gunners. Our ships are obliged to
have target practice with big guns at
least once every three months, when
the number of shots fred is prescribed
by regulations, which vary as the men
grow in proficiency. The great ex.
pense attached to this necessarily re.
duces the number of shots fred from
each gun.
But in order that practice may be
kept up, daily drills are substituted,
either in the form of sub caliber or
aiming drills.
The great gun practice takes place
under conditions as near as possible
! to those which would arise in actual
warfare. The target is anchored, and
the guns are trained on it both while
the ship is moving and while she is
stationary.
The target may be placed at any
distance outside ef 900 yards from
the vessels. Twelve hundred yards
is usually the range. To each gun is
allotted a certain number of fires, or
"strings," as they are technically
called.
The total number OF shots fired dur.
ing one-quarter for ship say of the
Texas class, would be CAB. Two 12-
inch guns would fire three shots each,
one each with full charge, and two
each with reduced charges. The
weight OF the shot would be 500
pounds, and the charge of powder
from 800 to 400 pounds. Then there
would be thirty-six shots for six 6-inch
guns, 2SS from II 6-pounders, IA
from six 1-pounders and ninety-six
from four Hotchkiss revolving cam
non. Six sharpnel from 6.inch guns
and twenty-five additional shots
would be allowed the secondary bat
terry, in order to give others than
those regularly stationed at the guns
practice in craftsmanship.
These days of great gun drill are
epochs in the lives pf our sailor boys.
Four observers are employed to note
the accuracy of the fire. Two are
in small boats ON the water. They de-
termine by means of graduated T
squares the point of fall of the shot,
whether it be to the right or the left
of the target, and whether the shot
has gone short or over the mark.
The two other observers are sta
toned on the ships. One notes the
number of shot and records the APP
parent fall as it appears TO the fourth
observer, who watches the flight of the
projectile. A similar record OF shots
] is kept by each OF the observers in the