The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-09-03
AS TO The MAN
BEHIND THE Gun
WHY AMERICAN JACKIES NAVE
LEARNED TO SHOOT.

|
Shows What 1t Is Worth to U.s.
| American Skill in Gunnery Comes.
From q System Which Has as Its
Keynote the Word "Practice,o
| The other day a little girl living on one
of Brooklyn's streets glanced from the
WlndoW, then turned and, clapping her
| hands, called out, Papa, papa! Quick.
There goes a man in blue clothes with a
great rolling collar and a round cap. And
| ne has one of his arms tied up. Who
is hep" 90 .t
The father saw that it was a wounded
manor war's man brought North from
Cuba for treatment. He answered, and
there was catch in his voice as he said:
mat is one OF the nations heroes He
mas fought for us and suffered for u.s.
and ne helped to win our battles. He
was one of the men behind the guns"
Ih1s is only one of many recent in-
stances illustrating the changed attitude
IN which Jacky is viewed by the folks
ON shore, says the New York Sun. A
Few months ago these tars trod the streets
| s1ngly and In pairs without receiving even
glance except from some citizen who
accompanied his look with a shrug and
me me words, spoken contemptuously,
"Humph! some more sailors ashore.
suppose they will be in the lookup before
morning.
The magic Of war and it's victories have
worked this transformation. There Is an
Ola eunner's mate on the battleship Ore
goh VINO mas been In the service for over
tnlrty years. He polished and cared for
the 9-inch smooth-bore guns of the old
navy, transferred his affections to the
WICKED 6O-pOunders when they were in
vogue, and has finally adopted as his
PET ana pride one Of the monster 13-inch
oeautles or the Oregon. He cannot read
word, and signs the paymaster's rolls
with cross yet he knows the Intricate
mechanism of breech-loader as a. scholar
does the alphabet, and he can hit a can.
vas pudrs-eye 1000 yards away with a
1'loo-pound projectile as easily as an ex-
pert pool player can make a pocket
When the ships of Admiral Cervera,.
fleet poked their noses past MORO Castle
IN their desperate and theatrical attemnt
10 escape from Santiago harbor this griz.
zied old gunnner's mate was engaged in
his usual task, that of lovingly Shining
up the glossy coat of his 13-inoh pride.
when the cry went up that the enemy
was escaping and the drums and hueles
ana gongs hastily sounded general quar-
ters, ne gave few finishing touches to
the mule, then quietly took his station
IN the turret. Presently turning to a.
said: sSss's't -'1--A' AA0
Charley. I'll bet You months pay
that I make a better shot at the Dago
beggars than you. What dye say?
Done," was the prompt reply. Ten
minutes later the old gunner's mate
squinted his eye along the sight, signalled
the man at the training lever to :ase off a
little, took the range from the officer in
charge Of the division, then gave the firing
lanyard a quick jerk. When the smoke
lifted the eager watchers saw a great
yawMng hole in the port bow of the Almi--
oh
men in the turret, and the veteran glanced
triumphantly toward the seaman gunnes.
Inc latter's turn soon came. The Oquende
battered and helpless, drifted ashore In
flames. The Oregon, accompanied by the
Brooklyn, sped on after the fleet-footed
Colon. The rapid fire batteries Of botr
American ships ratified and shrieked after
the fugitive. The 8-inch guns of the.
Brooklyn rumbled an unceasing chorus
as they belched forth their shells, and &C.,
casionally a deeper roar from the 13-inch
monsters of the Oregon would give a.
miehtler volume to the din.
1t was after one Of the latter shots that
the forward turret of the Oregon echoed
with rousing cheer. Charley, the young
seaman gunner, had just dropped the:
firing lanyard from his hand and it was.
seen that the Colons coming tower was.
hit. HE told me before he pulled the lam
yard that he could fetch it, exclaimed.
one of the guns crew admiringly, land.
he did"
These shots, absolutely marvellous under
the circumstances were fired by men rep
resenting the two extremes Of the service.
The old gunner's mate gained his skill
through years of experience; the sea-
man gunner, scarcely of age, was the.
product of a modern system of train.
ing. But both were American gunners,
and that term means something these.
days.
Eighty-six years ago Great Britain, then
as now, one Of the great powers of the
earth, discovered that Americans could
win naval battels. But the English his,
torians gravely decided that it was, to-
use >Hume's own words, because Of g.
secret art in gunnery!' How our gal.
liant fOrefathers who manned the Con-
stitution and the United States would .
have laughed at that! They knew, as we
know to-day, that our skill in gunnery
| comes from a system which has as it's
keynote one pregnant word-Practice!
Practice!
When the torpedo boat Morris dropped
in at the Brooklyn navy yard on her,
way to Cuba several weeks ago, among
the different members Of the crew who
went ashore for a short run was young
man, smooth-faced and blue-eyed, and
with placid, calm expression, such as
might be worn by youth studying the
ology. He was clad in the uniform of
the sailors, and there was nothing in his
attire or bearing to indicate that he had
among his effects on board a medal won
for expert craftsmanship with great
guns. He was a seaman gunner, had
graduated from the gunnery school ct
washington. and could place q 13.!ncl
! shell in the Vitals Of an enemy's war
ship with the accuracy Of an expert
| using a revolver.
! That young man had entered the service
as an apprentice when he was scarcely
| sixteen. He early attracted the notice
1 Of his superior officers who are always"
on the lookout for promising material,
| and was sent, after learning the duties OF
a sailor, to the government gunnery
l school, There he spent number OF
months under theoretical and practical
tuition in the science Of gunmanship.
| When he graduated at the end Of the
course he was detailed to the Newport
torpedo school, and there absorbed more
scientific training. A few weeks spent
in private arms mandatory and he
was returned to the service-and to MS
(bluejackets uniform-as seaman gum
ner. Although almost fitted for COM
mission he occupies a position paying him
the meager salary of $35 month and
IratiOns.
There are many young men such as he
4 n our naval service. They are to be found
lon every ship, and there are hundreds and
hundreds of naval apprentices in training.
for the same station. It was either the
seamen gunners or men rendered expert.
by constant practice after our thorough.
system who manned the batteries of the.
I Olympia, Baltimore and Boston in the;
battle OF Manila bay, and Of the Brook
(puuuUlD q o0ssGD IAaA