The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-07
GOOD WORK
G. GUNNERS
: -
Roe Q; cit Watches t. Target
Il Practice
= e tPL1MENTs mARksMEN
Gives Prizes to Crack Crew of
the Mayflower.
In Speech to the Sailors the Presi-
dent Dilates on the Importance
Of Accuracy in Gun
Pointing.

'ioohpolt, L. l., August Or IeSiueH
Roosevelt today participated in mimic
warfare. The maneuvers which the shir
executed were precisely those which
might have to be gone through in ar
active battle.
The gun practice Of the crew of the
Mayflower indicates that the men be-
hind the guns on board American wal
vessels are even more efficient and &C
curate than they were at the memorable
battle of Manila Bay or at the decisive
victory achived by the American feet
off Santiago.
The Hispano-American war demonstrate
ed the fact that the United States navy
contained fine marksmen and the pres
ence aboard the Mayfiower today OF
President Roosevelt was evidence of his
desire personally and by every means In
his power to foster and improve this i'm
portant branch of the work of the navy
To this end it is the purpose of the Presl-
dent to urge the necessity of continued
target practice by the crews of American
warshipS.
After witnessing the work of the crew
of No. 9 gun-the winners of the contest
hC pCiSohdily WSht W thO ui PcAheNAs w
]. O'Donnell, and shaking his hand. cor
daily said: you did well-excellently."
O'Donnel1 Embarrassed.
In an embarrassed manner O'Donnell
touched his forelock and really appeared
as IL he wished he had not done such
fine work
The shooting of the winning gun crew
was phenomenally good. At an average
range Of 1900 yards they made 80 per
cent. OF hits. They fired twenty shots and
make sixteen hits. two of them being
actual bullseyes. At the conclusion OF
tn etarget practice the crew was assem-
bled on the quarter deck to witness the
presentation of the prIacs offered by The
President. Briefly Mr.. Roosevelt address
ed the officers and men as follows:
II wish to say a word to all the off,
GERS and enlisted men of my qualification
at the showing you have mare today. |
hope this will be but the beginning of a
practice which will make the Mayfiower
stand as the crack gunship of the navy.
One or two of the gun crews had hard
luck, notably the marines of the port
one-pounder, the gun which fired twenty
eight shots The target drifted and that
makes the record no fair test as regards
that crew. am pleased with the showing
you have made and I expect next time
to see material improvement. Some of
the crew show the need of 1t. Now, just
one word to the enlisted men and the sail
ors, both to the men behind the gun and
to those in the engine room, for without
the men in the engine room the men at
the guns can do nothing:
Credit or Discredit.
''It is a credit to the navy as a whole
when the crew of a single ship does well.
L
upon the navy. every man who does badly
reflects discredit upon it. / know 1 can
count upon all on board his ship, as
upon all aboard all other ships in the
navy. 1 expect that each man will so do
his duty to reflect credit upon the navy
as a whole. / should like now to see the
winning crew.
When the four men comprising the
crew, w. J. O'Donnell, gun pointer; E.
Crowley, G.. C. Grimm and A. W. Hide
brand. had stepped forward 10y order Of
Lieutenant Phelps. the executive officer,
the President, addressing them, said:
Il am very much pleased with the work
you have done today and l want to say
that II you keep up this record 1t will be
difficult to find a better crew in the navy
In the training Of first class gun pointers
is the solution of the problem If obtain
ing the highest efficiency Of the navy"
The President then shook hands with
the members of the successful crew and
as he did so, pressed five dollar bill into
the palm of each, but gave $50 to ODon-
nell
Adverting later to his giving prizes to
the successful gun crew the President an
nounced that he was in correspondence
with the Secretary of the Navy regard
ing the matter of offering prizes for
special excellence in gun pointing. He
believes there is no better way to improve
the craftsmanship of naval Eunners than
to excite among the friendly emulation
Talk to Petty officers.
The President after giving the prizes,
about him. and in a brief talk impressed
upon them the Importance of performing
well their duties.
Accompanied by Mrs. Roosevelt, the
President boarded the naval yacht Sylph
off Sycamore Hill late yesterday after
noon. The Sylph arrived in Block Island
Sound last night and came to anchor In
the morning she steamed up to the May
flower lying near. The wealth was thick
with the clouds, dark and forbidding. AS
soon as the Mayflower recognized the
Presidents blue green and gold pennant
she roared out a salute of twenty-one
guns.
few minutes later the President, 1eav-
ing Mrs Roosevelt on the Sylph. took
launch for the Mayfiower. The Greg
dressed ship and as Mr.. Roosevelt went
aboard and his own flag was broken out
at the main peak another salute of TWEEN
ty-one guns was fired, the President re
naming standing and uncovering until
its conclusion.
shortly afterward the real work of the
day began. A regulation naval target,
sixteen by twenty-one feet. was located
on a float two miles east of Gardeners
Point light buoy. Smokeless powder and
full service charges were employed in the
practice. The distance of the target from
the ship varied from 200 to 1900 yards
and the vessel. during active firing, was
under a speed of eight knots. The prac-
tice continued for nearly six hours.
At o'clock the President left the May
flower for the Sylph whert he joined Mrs.
Roosevelt. Saluted by both the Mayfiow-
er and the Chase, the training ship of