The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-22


-Astonished spaniards-Pet Names for
Gums.
Washington Evening Starr
There is All old gunner's mate Oh the
battieship Oregon who has been in the
service for over thirty years. He polished
and cared for the 9-inch smoothbore guns
of the old navy, transferred his affections
to the wicked 60-pounders when they
were in vogue, and has finally adopted as
his pet and pride one of the monster H.
inch beauties of the Oregon. He cannot
read word, and signs the psymaster's
rolls with a cross, yet he knows the lntrl-
cate mechanism of breechloader as
scholar does the alphabet. and he can hit
a canvas bullseye 1000 yards away with
an l ,10O-pound projectile as easily as an
expert pool player can make a pocket.
When the Inflated ships of Admiral
Cervera's feet poked their noses past
MORO Castle in their desperate and thea
trical attempt to escape from Santiago
harbor, this grizzled old gunner's mate
was engaged in his usual task, that OF
lovingly shiningsup the glossy coat OF his
13-inoh pride When the cry went up
that the enemy was escaping and the
drums and bugles and goDgs hastily
sounded general quarters, he gave few
finishing touches to the muzzle, then
quietly took his station in the turret.
Presently turning to young seaman
gunner next to him he said: "Charley,
I'll bet you a months pay that 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
souinted his eye along the sight. signaled
the man at the training lever to ease of
a little, took the range from the officer in
charge of the division, then gave the fir
ing lanyard quick jerk. When the
smoke lifted the eager watchers saw a
great..yawning hole in the port bow OF the
Almirante Oquendo.
ga cheer came from the men in the tur-
ret. and the old veteran glanced TIL
umphantly toward the seaman gunner.
The latter's turn soon came. The Oquen.
do. battered and helpless, drifted ashore
in flames. The Oregon, accompanied by
the Brooklyn, sped ON after the fleet
footed Colon. The rapid-tire batteries of
both American ships ratified and shrleked
after the fugitive. The S-inch guns
ruubled an uneeasing chorus as they
beIched forth their steel shells, and occa-
s.onally deeper roar from the 13-inch
monsters would give mightier volume
to the din.
1t was after one Of the latter shots that
the forward turret of the Oregon echoed
with a rousing cheer. Charley, the
young seaman gunner, had just dropped
the firing lanyard from his hand, and it
was seen that the Colon's coming tower
was in ruins. "He told me, before he
pulled the lanyard that he would fetch
it," exclaimed one of the guns crew ad-
miringIy," and he did.
These shots, absolutely marvellous un-
deg the circumstances. were fired by men
representing.the two extremes OF the SER
vice. The old gunner's mate gained his
skill through years of experience; the
seaman gunner, scarcely of age, was the
product of a modern system OF training
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 battles But the Eng
lish historians gravely decided that it
was, to use Hume's own words. because
of a secret art in gunneryP' How our
gallant forefathers who manned the Con-
stitution and the United States would
have laughed at thatl They knew, as
we know today, that our skill in gunnery
comes from a system which has as It's
KEYNOTE one pregnant word-Practice!
Praotioei
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 short run was young man,
smooth faced and blue-eyed: and with
placid, calm expression, such as might pc
worn by youth studying theology. he
was clad in the picturesque uniform OF
the naval sailors, and theirs was nothing
in his attire or bearing to indicate that he
had among his effects on board medal
won for expert Workmanship with great
guns He was q seaman gunner, had
graduated from the gunnery school at
Washington, and could place l5-lnch
shell in the vitals of an enemy's war ship
with the accuracy of rough rider using
q revolver.
That young man had entered Une SER
vice as an apprentice when he was scarce
ly 49, He early attracted the notice 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
School. There he spent a 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
School, and there absorbed more scientific
training. A few weeks spent in pri-
yate arms mandatory. and he has re-
turned to the service and to his bluejack-
cts uniform as a seaman gunner. AL
though almost fitted for commission he
is permitted to occupy position paying
him the meagre salary of $35 month and
rations.
There are many young men such as he
in our naval service. They are to be
found on every ship. and there are hun
dreds and hundreds of naval apprentices
in training for the same station. 1t was
either the seamen gunners or men rem
dered expert by constant practice after
our thorough system who manned the