The times., 1899-06-03
THE IMPORTANCE OF
GREAT GUN PRACTICE
European Nayies Emulate
American craftsmanship.
Large Sums to Be Expended in
Target Ammunition.
Foreign Governments IMPRESSED
With the Advantages of
Straight Shooting

The result of the naval battles in the war
between the United States and Spain has
directed the navies of the world more
than ever before to the Importance of tar
| get practice.
Reports recently received by the Navy
| Department show that European countries
are giving much consideration Just now to
the subject of gunnery. This is particu ar
ly true of the English and French navies.
The former country has determined that it
shall not be excelled by American gunners,
ana the Navy Department has just been
Informed that the British Admiralty las
decided that the gun practice of the navy
shall attain the highest possible state OF
| efnciency. Steps have been taken which
Will involve large additional expense in
the purchase OF ammunition, and captains
OF large guns. and especially of those
mounted in turrets and harbettes, are to
De given every opportunity for practice
The English Navy has adopted an arrange
ment by which small quick firing guns will
be trained under the same condition 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 is done TO
preserve the life OF the large gun, and to
| erect saving in powder and shell. The
ADMIRALTY has also determined to substan-
| TALLY increase the amount annually al
lowed as prize money for heavy gun prac-
tice.
American naval officers have been gath
erlng information for several months on
the target practice of the European ma
| vies, and while the reports show that the
American Navy is superior to any other in
ic r1nt
Navy Department to relinquish its efforts
TO advance target practice in the amer
| lean Navy To this end all the iniorma-
| lion OF value Sto commanders of vessels
viii be transmitted to them. It is not un-
| likely that Congress will be asked Tor a
liberal increase in the appropriation for
target practice. Naval officials do not hes
itate to point out that there is the great
| est difference between the gunnery of a
vessel in target practice in times OF peace
| and gunnery in a regular naval action.
| One prominent British service paper re-
marks in an article on American gunnery
that the comparative number of hits
| made by vessels in annual practice is very
deceptive" This is shown by compari-
| son of the results in the naval engage
ments with Cerveras fleet and with the
Spanish ships at Manila. In the fight at
Santiago the American Navy scored some
tAliilS lLhe per cent Oh Nus IN target
practice the records show about % to 30
per cent, while at times it has reached
30 and 40 per cent British naval officers
claim that the American heavy guns are
fired at target which is larger than
theirs. and hence the records indicate bet
ter craftsmanship. ,r
The British Naval and Military Rec
ord" commenting on British and Amer
lean gunnery. has this to say: With
out, however, disparaging our own gum
ners. who probably DO very well accord
ing to the opportunities afforded themr We
cannot fail to conclude that We must be
at great disadvantage If we practice
much less than the American Navy, which
it appears is the case. Our admirals are
doing what they can to encourage good
shooting at their various naval stations,
and the admiralty is increasing the
amount to be spent on annual practice.
Money can hardly be better spent on any
purpose connected with war which would
yield such fruit as that laid out in per-
fecting our shooting" The same writer
then calls attention to a publication on
the Effect of the gun fire OF the Amer
lean vessels in the battle of Manila Bay.
This was prepared by Lieut.. John NJ. Eli
colt. of the Baltimore, who details the
number of times the Spanish vessels under
Admiral Montojo were hit. Lieutenant Ell
Iicott points out that the total number OF
hits officially reported as received by the
Spanish ships was 141. OF these 13 were
eight-inch, six-inch, and % fve-inch.
Thirty-one were six-pounders, and 29
other calibres.