The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-22

ported by barrels. From the center comes
| a red flag.
Then there are four protrudlng canvas
| wings, or sails, with a Semi-circle painted
| on each, so that no matter which way the
! target shifts there is always bulls-eye to
| aim at.
The target may be placed at any distance
/ outside of one thousand yards from the ves-
| sells. Twelve hundred yards is usually the
| range To each gun Is allotted a certain
number of fires, or strings" as they are
The total number of shots fired during
class. would be GAP. Two twelve-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
| eight hundred pounds and the charge Of
! powder from three hundred to four hundred
| pounds.
Then there would be thirty-six shots for
| six six-inch guns, 2SS from twelve six
| Founders. IA from six one-pounders and
mnety-s1x from four HotchEdss revolving
cannon can Six shrapn,el from six-inch guns
| allowed the secondary battery in order to
| give Others than those regularly stationed
| at the guns practice on craftsmanship.
These DAYS of great gun drill are epochS
| in the lives of our sailor boys -Four OBJ
servers are employed to note the accuracy
| of the fire. Two are in small boats on the
| water They determine by means of grad
| uated I squares the point of fall of the shot.
| ship.
But is must be remembered that the
actual firing of the big guns is great ex-
| pense. 1t is luxury which might easily
| bankrupt a nation If persistently kept up.
| Consequently the Subcaliber and the aim
ing. drills are those which are practiced
| daily.
The former practically brings into play
| the same degree of skill in sighting and
manipulating the big fellows. But instead
| of actually firing the great guns, with their
| massive charges, a rifle or muSket is placed
| inside the bore and the shot is discharged
| from that. There is a circular frame with
! four supports which fits inside the bore and
| supports the firearm in position.
| The aiming drill is an interesting opera
| ton In this the narksman mounts a rifle
! on a tripod usually about thirty yards away
| from a target placed on the main deck. The
| target is a piece of paper ruled off into
| squares and nailed upon a wooden back
| ground about the size of an ordinary door.
| mate, holding in his hand IA circular disc
made of tin and perforated in the center
with small hole. This disc has a handle
| and the gunner's mate holds 1t over the
| target.
me man at the gun sights his weapon,
| aiming at the hole in the center of the disk,
which he tries to get as near the exact
| center of the target possible. AS he
| squints along the barrel he calls out to the
gunners mate where to sight the disk.
Right, left, up and down goes the piece.
| of tin, according to the direction shouted
| out by the marksman. When he thinks he
rectly TO the center of the target and the
| ball would go through the hole in the disk,
| he shouts "Stop!
Then the gunner's mate takes a pencil,
| and, holding the disk in position, makes a
| mark upon the paper target, This opera
| tion is repeated three times, and then the
next man has his trial. The idea of three
! shots is to get them closely together on
| the target possible--that is. the three
pencil marks forming the smallest triangle
| constitute the best craftsmanship.