The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-13
SquadrOns at Key West and
Hampton Roads Ready.
SHOOTING WITH BIG GUNS
Commodore Schley's Men of the Fly
ing Squadron. During Sub-Callber
perts i'm the Science of Gunnery
What American Tars Could Do.

war fleet of the United States is In all
respects ready for its work, and the YES
sells swinging at their moorings, in their
war paint of light gray. make a glori-
Gus picture for American eyes. They are
now arranged in a carefully planned for
nation to defend the coaling station and
base of supplies, and to resist any sudden
dash by torpedo boats or possible attack
by other vessels.
Nearly all the boats have been sent to
the inner harbor and moored so as to be
out of the way, and TO avoid having the
guns crews decimated by flying splinters
should they be struck by the enemy's
projectiles. For the same reason all in
side woodwork has been taken out of the
quarters and sent TO the storehouse on
shore. Superfluous fittings of every kind
are following the same course. Nothing
will be retained on board that is not need
ed for battle.
Officers and men seem TO be thoroughly
imbued with the proper spirit. and can be
relied upon TO reflect credit on the flag so
proudly floating at the vessels peaks. 1t
seems desirable, however, for many ex-
cellent reasons that the bill 10 recognize
the personnel, so carefully prepared I'M
der the supervision of the Assistant Sec
rotary of the Navy, should be passed i'm
mediately, so that the younger and more
active officers might be placed in more
prominent positions at the outset.
The Terror arrived on Saturday, filled
up with coal and took her station near the
main channel leading into the harbor. No
particular excitement seems TO exist at
present in the town of Key West At the
hotels the talk is principally about the
prospects Of early war. but il is carried
on very quietly, and though earnest, is
not loud or obtrusive.
Handling the Great Guns.
Fort Monroe. Va, April 13.-Commodore
Schley, of the flying squadron, is gratified
by the progress made by his men i'm SUBJ
caliber practice. This practice was car
ried on on board the Brooklyn, all the
starboard guns being brought into ac-
ton. The target, placed on an ordinary
sized buoy, was 500 yards distant. which
a distance of 600 yards at the
regular range of the guns.
Balls from the rifles which were insert
ed in S-inch and other guns penetrated
the target with rapidity. or else struck the
water within foot or two Of it at nearly
every shot.
Sub-caliber practice is designed to in
sure perfection in aiming and firing the
big guns without having to waste the
great amount of ammunition that would
be necessary If the regular charges and
projectiles were used. The ball from a
rife fitted into the gun tube will, if sent
according to the intended aim, strike a
target at 500 yards. whereas with the
same aim a projectile would strike the
same target at 500 yards.
Yesterdays test. therefore, was prac-
teal illustration of the damage the Amer
lean sailors could do at the longer dis
tance in an engagement with SPANS
ships.
The Holland Boat.
New York April 1.-Two shots were
fred from the aerial torpedo tube of the
boat Holland as she lay in a
slip at the yards of the Raritan Dry
Dock Company, at Perth Amboy, yes
terday. and In the afternoon the boat
With Mr.. Holland and four others aboard
was sunk to bottom in twenty-eight feet
Of water and remained beneath the sur
face for a quarter of an hour. All the
tests were satisfactory so far as they
went but the little destroyer did not
move from the wharf, as her ballast is
being readjusted and the exhaust pipes
If her engine, the inventor said, needed |
packing.
Most interest centered about the first |
shot. which was fired in the morning, |
owing to the fact that gunpowder was |
lsed in the gun for the first time. Ac- |
,ording TO the system used the projectile, 1
which is 10 be loaded with guncotton |
n some other high explosive, will be /
tarted in its flight by. a charge of COM |
'ressed air with an initial pressure of /
90 pounds 10 the square inch.
Then as il proceeds along the barrel |
# the gun a charge of powder will be /
Exploded behind il TO accelerate its flight
nd IT is believed that the expanding /
ir already in the tube will act as a
ushion to the gunpowder explosion and
hus prevent the rupture or defamation
4 the projectile before it leaves the
luzzle, which accident of course would
destroy the vessel and all on |
GARD.
Wooden cylinders three feet long and
light and one-half inches in diameter |
Dok the place of the projectiles and were
brown well-nigh across the Kill Won
,ul.
Only half a pound of powder was used
4 the first shot, and to the spectators
seemed as though a sfeauer range was |
ttained with the second when the air
lone was used. The wooden plugs. |
hitch weighed sixty pounds each whirl- |
over and over like boomerangs as
hey shot through the air. and had they
cen balanced projectiles and gone
raight they probably would have reach
the Staten Island shore.
Hardly bubble came to the surface af-
n the boat went down. Just as the on
okers were beginning TO get alarmed |
bout her the tips of the masts appeared.
nd then the boat herself came up with
rush.
Mr.. Holland was very much annoyed at ! ?
fanciful article describing a battle be- 1,
Teen submarine ships which appeared in
recent issue of a sensational newspaper
Id which, the headlines said. was the
suit of a collaboration between himself
I'd DIR. Glider. He said he was ap-
cached on the subject, and refused to | z
motion such an article. for. he said. !
Ich a conflict would be impossible. Mr..
olland said he could not tell when the | !.
KIT trial would take place.
The Launch of the Norris. i
Bristol, r. l., April 13.-The torpedo boat | r
orris, which is to be launched at Her !
shoff's today, will be a valued addition | =
Uncle Sans Navy. She is I47 feet | :
er all and 49, water line. Her displace-
ent is 103 tons and her contract speed is
l-2 knots. Her width of beam is Is I-2