Abilene weekly reflector., 1902-08-07
NAVAL Gun PRACTICE
The Men Behind the Guns ON the
9ayAower Very Edlcisnt.
ROOSEVELT PRAISES TIE WINNERS,
The President Also Made Brief Talk 70
the Petty Omces-Ths Dissa atisfaction
Among the Msynowsr's Crew
Dlspelled.

Greenport, L. l., Aug. 7.-Presi.
dent Roosevelt yesterday partci-
pated on board the Mayfower, In
mimic warfare. The maneuyers
which the ship executed were pre-
cisely those which might have to be
gone through in an active battle.
The gun practice Of the crew of the
Mayfower indicated that the men
behind the guns on board American
war vessels are even more efficient
and accurate than they were at the
memorable battle Of Manila bay or
at the decisive victory achieved by
the American feet of Santiago. The
Hispano-American war demonstrated
the fact that the United States
navy contained fine marksmen, and
the presence aboard the Mayfower
yesterday OF President Roosevelt
was evidence Of his desire personally
and by every means in his power to
foster and improve this important
branch of the work Of the navy. TO
this end 1t is the purpose OF the
president to urge the necessity of
continuing target practice by the
crews Of American warships.
After witnessing the work Of the
crew Of No. 0 gun-the winners Of
the contest-he personally went to
the gun-pointer, W. J. O'Donnell, and,
shaking his hand, cordially, said:
"You did well-excellently." In an
embarrassed manner O'Donnell
touched his forelock and really ap-
peared as II he wished he had not
done such fine work. The shooting
of the winning gun crew was phe-
good. At an average Of
1900 yards they made so per cent. of
hits. They fred 20 shots and made
10 hits, two Of them being actual
bulls eyes. They were the envied
Of the entire crew. At the conclu-
sion Of the target practice the crew
was assembled on the quarterback
to witness the presentation Of the
prizes offered by the president, who |
made brief and appropriate adj
dress to the officers and men and
then asked to see the winning crew. |
When the four men comprising the |
crew, W. J. O'Donnell, gun-pointer; |
+. Crowley, G. c. Grim and A. w.
Hildebrand, had stepped forward
by order Of Lieut.. W. W. Phelps, the
executive officer, the president, ad-
dressing them, said: II am very
much pleased with the work you have
done to-day, and | want to say that
II you keep up this record it will
be difficult to find a better six
FOUNDER crew in the navy. In the
training of tirst-class gun-pointers
is the solution of the problem of OBJ
tanning the highest efficiency of the
navy
The president then shook hands
with the members of the successful
rev and, as he did so, pressed
iNe-dollar bill into the palm of
Zach, but giving $40 to the gun
pointer, O'Donnel.
The president, after giving the
,rizes, then called the petty officers
II the ship about him and in brief
ak impressed upon them the i'm
,ortance of performing well their
luties.
The president was delighted to
earn that no dissatisfaction exists
low among the Mayfower's crew.
Every one Of the 40 men who were
IN leave from the ship returned be-
ore the expiration of their leave.
1t five o'clock the president left the
dayfower for the Sylph, where he
oined Mrs. Roosevelt. Saluted by
10Th the MayAower and the Chase,
he training ship Of the revenue cut
er service, the president sailed for
)yster bay.