The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
TARGET PRACTICE AT SEA.
THE LESSON or THE NATAL BiTTLRS
At SANTElGO IHD NINTLI.
England and France IInve Determined Tint

England and France Have Determined That
Their Gunncrs Shall Not BE ExccIled
by the Anne ricans-More Attention to
Ba Given in Future to Gun Practice.
WASHINGTON. June o--Thc result OF the
naval battles In the war between the United
States AMI Spain has directed the attention O.
the navios Of the world mors than ever before
to the Importance Of target practice
Reports recsntly received BY the Navy De-
rnrtmsnt show that European countries are
giving much consideration Just now to the
subject Of gunnery. This Is particularly true
OF the English and French navics The former
country has determined that its gunners shall
not be eXcellcd by the Americans. md the Navy
Department in Washington has Just been In
formed that the British Admiralty has deter
mined that the Gunnery practice OF the navy
shall be maintained to the highest possible
state Of efficiency Steps have been takon
which will involve a large additional EXPENSE
In tbs purchase Of AMMUNITION. and captains
Of large guns. and especially Of those mounted
in turrcts ana barbsttos. are to have every OPP
rortunity for practice. The English Navy has
adopted an arrangement by which small quick
firing guns will be trained and elevated under
the same conditions as the large weapons. the
only difference being that when the large gun
is accurately brought to bear on the object the
small gun only will be fired. This ia done to
preserve the lie the large gun and will effect
II large saving OF powder and shell. The Ad-
miralty has also determined substantially to
increase the amount annually allowed as prze
money Tor heavy gun practice.
American naval officers have been gathering
information for several months ON the target
practice OF the Europcan navics. and. while the
REPORTS all show that the American Navy is the
j. not proposed Hy the Navy henartment to re-
lnuuish its Efforts to advance target practice.
TO this end a. the nfrrmation of vaue, to
commanders tfanEnitfaI
them Tor their assist NEE. Particular atten-
ton will be called To the necessity 81. paving
the greatest attention to accuracy Of IRE and
II lie not unikcly that Congress will be called
upon Tor a libcrn nclense In ,hc approximation
tate to poiut ont that there is the greatest diff
ference between the gunnery of n vessel in
nSry In rduHr nnVn ncton "ne nr6mi
nent British service ralei remarks in an ar
ticie on American gunne:v that The compare:
| tive number Of hits ma C ny vessels in annual
| This is shown bv "A COM parison OF the results
| and with the Spanish s hips at Manila. In the
fight e SanninEp the AnericHn >avy scorei
number of rounds fired. Ia target practice
| the re ORD shows about - to 70 rar cent. "
reached 30 to 80 rcr cent. BIRTHS naval ott-
| GERS assert that the American heavy guns tie
| a. target which is enormously larger than
| their target and hence procure records that
| Iorcl nod HiGt1rN Hrrr,'d, commenting on
| say: without. however dieoaracing our owl
gunners. who probably do very we'll according
| Z, the opportunities afforded them. We canuot
fail to conclude" thnt we must I've AT a great dis
| advantage if ~ practice much loss than the
| American NAVY. which It nn"enre is the cnse.
| our Almirals nrc doing what they can T." en-:
| courage good shooting ~ thair various naval
| stations. and The Admiralty IS increasing
the amount TO he srent on annual practice,
| Money can hardly be better suent on any uur,
POGO connected with war which would Weld
| such fruit as that laid ont in rerfertIng our
shooting"
| The same writer then calls attention TO the
| publication by the Naval lutelliC"nc" ONCE ~
the United states Of tho effect 0f the gun fire
of the nited States vessels in he battle Of Ma
| nila BAY This wns nrerarcd tv Lieut.. John
| NJ. El'icOtt Of the Baltimore, who tells 1he
numt cr Of times the spanish vessels under
| Admiral Montoo were hit. Lieut.. Fllicott
! points out thatSthe total number If hits off,
ciallv reDorted recs,vel by the Spanish
| sh'rs wa III. Thirteen were S-inch. six IL
| inch nrd twenty.two i-inch. thirty-one were