The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-06-07
I OUR GOODiGUNNERS5
IJohn HALL Stands iAshast al The Wonder.
fol marhsmanship of American Sailor.

The American gurners at the battle OF
Manila opened the eyes OF the naval
men OF Europe. II hho convinced the
nations that after all II Is the man DO.
hind the gun, and not the thickness Of
amor or the estimated horse power Of
The engines that comprises the chief de.
tense OF ship In q naval fight. Z It Is no
rev thing for England to gtt In a state
scrgIng on panic at the condition OF
her navy. Periodically. aNfurious on
Blaught is made on the, naval experts
ind admiralty officials BY sons member
Of parliament or cranky Taxpayer. and
the whole country trombles at the idea
Of It's naval strength having been over
estimated or wllfuliy misrepresented.
THESE scares are useful. for they usual
o. have some foundation In fact, and
serve to draw out columns OF newspa-
per articles and correspondence, which
In the end result In Improvement and
The allaying OF the chronic fear OF the
taxpayers that they are footing huge
bills and are getting nothing stable for
the defense OF the empire.
Just now the scare owes Its origin 10
The remarkable accuracy and deadli-
ness OF the American gunnersa Britons
ure comparing the records made at Ma
Mia with the scoring during the prac-
tlce fire OF the British crews, and are
lsking. with a good deal OF feyerish ap-
pnhersion. where their own gunners
come in. This has started a mass OF
correspondence and special articles ,on
the subject OF naval gunnery and naval
training. and the subjects OF the queen
are learning, to their dismay, that very
little II any Importance Is attached to
the training OF the gunners OF what Is
supposed to be the first navy OF the
world. Among the numerous contrlbu-
tlons on the subject. the most startling
Is that OF prominent naval officer who
knows whereof he, speaks and whose
clear.cut statements have caused a SEN
eat!on here. IS
According to this authority. the gun
merry Practice In her majesty's navy IS
regarded rather more us n necessary
evil than as a duty that, for the good
Of the service, should be OF first place
Importance. Here Is his calm state
merit regarding the gunnery practice in
the royal navy:
1T is usual thing for the signal to
be made. Spread for target practice:
Teioin by such and such time the
consequence being the practice Is car
ried out In hurried, paricky way.
without sufficient supervision or COR
Iectlng Of errors made, In order to get
II over Who has not heard some
thing OF the following: Why don't you
fire that gum Can't see the target,
sir Never mind that. fire at the
splash. Bang! And away goes pounds
ard pounds OF the unfortunate rate
payers money into tine sea. The al
lowance Of ammunition, Is very small,
only eight rounds q quarter being al
lowed for such guns US a IL or slx-inch
quick firing gun, ten rounds for the
lighter quick-fring, and four rounds
for the twelYe-inch wire and upwards.
The allowance for the heavy quick
firing represents four rounds each for
Nos. 1 and 2. Sor less than minutes
firing once every three months. In ad-
d!tion. this allowance Is exceeded when
prize firing (when the4 number OF
rounds fired In the,two minutes allowed
Is unlimited), the amount fired In ex-
cess Of the allowance has to be deduct
ed from the next quarters allowance.
or, suppose a smart ~ guns crew fire
sixteen rounds. which they should do
in two minutes, they get no more prac-
.t!ce for six months, which Is, as Euclid
would say absurd Out OF the ten
rounds allowed for. the light, quick
firing guns. has to. come the amount
fired from these guns In boats, likewise
the amount fired in night practice,
which leaves about four rounds for No.
J to fire at his quarters practice. It
Is, to say the least OF It, hard to train
man to pick up his range quickly,
and keep It on such an allowance, which
might we'll be doubled; and, II expended
In an intelligent. way, the, increased
proficiency would We'll repay the extra
expense in wear and tear 3ot. ammuni-
ton. The four rounds per heavy turret
gun give four rounds to the captain of
the turret and two to the captain of
each gun. no other man OF the turret's
crew getting a chance.
In addition to the ammunition
proper. however, the admiralty allow
an immense amount OF tube cannon,
, d.vldual instruction OF unframed or
partially trained men. and should be
expended as such 1t Is, however, too
frequently fired at the same time as the
heavy gun practice takes place, with
every available tube going at once for
The same old story, to get It done.' The
range suitable for heavy gun practice
Is. or course, quite out the range for
tuoe cannon. while from the number OF
guns going at once no man can see
what his shots are doing, and indlvid-
cal supervision becomes impossible;
me result is, a man comes up to his
gun, blazes away his ten rounds or
% With a fixed sight. which is prob
oeiy wrong. and departs as wise as he
Started. G:Is n
If the admiralty and admirals in
spectiHs paid any. attention to: the gum
merry efficiency Of the ships in commits
son, they would compel the captains
sho officers to develop that efficiency to
Inc utmost in their power, and establish
healthy rivalry. At present in the
Aed!terranean. far more trouble and
time is expended on fling the chase of
gun bright and Furnishing 1t (Which is
absolutely contrary to reguiatious)
man 10 ensuring; that the men are we'll
trained In the use Of It lais
Ihese criticisms are severe enough,
nut the officer quoted goes even fur
.her. He declares mat returns OF the
practice at the targets are Judged"
OF, IN other words. the figures are given
as hrst-c!ass, when in reality. the prac-i
uce has been aboninahe, thus deceIv-
ing the admiralty officials and giving
me British public On erroneous idea
oi the. skill OF their seamen Sunners.
~ would be thought that such q sugges-
uon as that crews sent out to practice
WIN small guns at points distant from
me ship throw the ammunition over
ooard TO save them the trouble Of firing
H. ann return to the ship with the re-