La Junta tribune., 1898-11-12
ron sowllne Ar rae eun.
Now Yankee eunners Fired !" the
Manila Fight.
W-Ts.Y Fay 80

States navy, OF the Petrol, who
took part in the engagement OF
Cayite Bay has written an article
for the Century on "Why We Won
at Manila. Lieut.. Fiske says OF
"the man behind the gun"
| Look at him as he stands, lock-
string in hand, behind his gun, his
legs wide apart as he balances him
self on the unsteady deck, his eyes
fixed on the sights OF his gun and
on the enemy, whom he sees
through the narrow aperture OF
the gun-port. He knows that his
CUR is all right, and the powder,
and the gun and the she'll and the
/ fuse, and that, years ago, the nee
essary steps were taken which
placed this terrible weapon in his
1 hand to-day, so fashioned that if
he fires it right the shot will hilt
the mark. But the rolling OF the
ship from side to sid. throws the
line Of his gun-sights high up
against the sky, and then down
into the sea; and, as no ship steers
iexactly straight, the line of sight
moves irregularly to the right and
left; SO that his sights appear to
be describing irregular curves. now
against the background OF the sky
and now against the background
oi the sea. An average roll may
be about 7 degrees on each side,
or IL degrees from one side to the
other. The average time OF max
ing this roll is about seven seconds,
making the time of rolling one de-
gree about half second.
/ Suppose now that Tom Bowling
is firing at an average ship, say 20
feet high, about a5oo wards away.
II he fires at the middle ot the tar
get, as he should do, this gives
i him a margin on each side oi 10
feet, winch subtends an angle at
/ Tom Bowling's eye of about one
twelfth OF a degree; SO that Bowl
ing must appreciate the fact that his
sights are son." and do everything
4 required TO fire the gun IN one
ltwenty-fonrth of second, or else
he will miss the target. Now, no
man living can be depended on for
sncf rapid thought and nerve ac-
| ton, even under the best conditions
OF quiet and calmness; that is. he
can not be depended on to do it
every time.
Much can be done by good
gun captain, however, by watch
ing tor a smooth time, and firing
a little before the sights bear. No
one knows this. better than Tom
Bowling. So he braces his feet
on the unsteady deck, every nerve
stretched to its utmost tension.
He sees that the gun is pointing
little to the right of the enemy's
ship. "Leftw he orders: and the
gun trainers work their training
levers. or, if in turret, start the
turning engine SO as to turn the
gun to the left. Meanwhile, as the
line of sight is gradually approach
ing the target from the right, 1t is
also rising and falling with the
rolling OF the ship. Tom Bowling
sees that, the next time the sights
rise to the level of the target, the
trainers will have got the gun
trained in the proper direction.
He braces himself for a quick pull
Of his lock string; and then a wave
strikes the ship on the starboard
bow, or the helm is shifted little,
and away goes the line of sight far
off to. the left, before the sights
get up. ''Right!" orders Bowling
instantly; and the gun-trainers
work the gun back to the right
quickly, but cautiously for much
depends upon them now. "WellT'
"Rightp Left" etc.,. come the
orders in quick succession, as Tom
Bowling and his trainers work the
gun. Suddenly the line Of sight
strikes the target; there is CLEAN