The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-23
FOR ARTILLERY PRACTICE
War Department Plans to Improve
the Service.
4 Project Mapped Out by Secretary
Root and Assistant Secretary San
ger - To secure the Rating and
Proper Classification of Gunners.

| PROPER classification OF runners.
! Secretary Sanger have been occupied for
several days in the preparation OF plans
/ for improving the methods of conducting
| the technical instruction of artillery
| troops and target practice with seacoast
| artillery. a new project has been de
| termined upon and will shortly be an
nounCed to the army. 1t provides for a
| regular annual target practice. ciassiit-
cation of the enlisted men and non-com-
| missioned officers. company examinations
| to ascertain the men qualified to be
| classed as gunners, and for the promotion
| of gunners and non-commissioned officers
| to be designated as gunnery specialists.
The commander of the military depart
| ment in which coast artillery is located
| will select a date for artillery target
practice. and a board will be appointed
to examine and report as to the hydro
graphy of channels and the point in them
at which ships may be attacked to the
greatest advantage. Charts are to be pre-
pared showing the depth of water
Throughout all portions of the field Of fire
and. in so far as practicable. the area
within which targets are placed for target
practice are to include the areas of great
est advantage, III order that all the gun
ners may become especially familiar with
the conditions which obtain in connection
with artillery fire.
1t has been decided that in all target
practice except with sub-calibres the pro-
iectiles used shall be of full service
weight and service form and that as far
as practicable smokeless powder shall be
used. All practice will be at moving tar
gets. The programme Of firing provides
that after the officer in charge of the
practice informs the company commander
! that range and target are ready fifteen
minutes will be allowed In which to fire
the first shot with all guns and mortars.
An interval Of five minutes will be al
lowed between the first and second and
second and third shots. and com
pany commanders will be given the
plotting of these shots. For their
remaining rounds tn: company COM
mander will be given only the loca-
ton of the target every thirty seconds.
Commencing with the third shot of each
series fired from the S-inCh, 10-inch, and
12-inch guns. and with the first shot of
each series fired from mortars, each hit
on the target shall have>a numerical val
ue depending on the time within which
the shot is fired.
In firing The Pinch breech-loading guns
and the S-inch muzzle-loading guns a
mark of zero shall be given if the gun is
not fired within seven minutes. and the
highest rating is given if fired in four
minutes. To receive the highest
rating with the 10-inch and S-inch
-hreech-loading guns the shots must
be fired within two minutes and if
not fired within five minutes the score of
shot is to be zero. In firing the Finch
mortar five minutes is allowed 10 secure
the highest rating, and the limit provided
is eight minutes.
Under the provisions of the Army Re
organization bill, the artillery corps is
organized by companies and the plans
Just adopted provide that the practice
shall be exclusively by company and no
officer or enlisted man will he excused
from the practice of his company. Three
or more floating targets of the standard
form are to be Kept in readiness at each
post. The gun. carriage, platform. i'm
Elements equipments and accessories
are all TO lie inspected before and after
firing. and detailed report made of any
damage. The report will embOdy any
suggestions for the improvement of the
ammunition, the material or the drill
and before the commencement OF the
season of annual target practice there is
to be special test Of the powder to be
used during practice, for the purpose OF
determining its serviceabiIity.
The plans for classification of the ar
tillery force provide that non-commis
stoned officers Will. in general, be selected
from Sunners and examinations viii be
held each year in each company after the
annual practice for the purpose of Sc
lecting the qualified gunners.
The board of examination in each mill
tary department shall consist of the ar
tillery inspector of the department, an
artillery officer serving in the department
and the commanding officer of the com
pany undergoing examination. Enlisted
men who obtain an average of IS per cent
will be classed as first-class gunners and
those obtaining an average of 90 per cent
as second-class gunners. a certain pro-
portion of the qualified gunners from
each company, including non-cOmms-
stoned officers, will be sent every year to
the artillery school for instruction In the
special course. and those who pass the
examination at the end OF the course
will receive certificates as Gunncry spe-
cialists