The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-03
CADETS SEE BIG GUNS FIRED.
THE GRADUATING CLASS At WEST
POINT VISIT SANDY HOOK.

me I0-Jncs, nine asnAA Shells Out 70 Ga,
and the Lads Get object Lessons IN M
Woskins Of All Aeaeeast Defence
Guna and Msvtsrs--Geed Resutvs.
The graduating GLASS Of West Point cadets
and delegation Of officers and instructors
at the Military Academy went to the sandy
Hook proving ground yesterday and wit
messed an exhibition Of the manipulation
and firing Of big guna for seacoast de-
fence and also the firing OF field Pieces
The exhibition was for the purpose Of CIV
ing the cadets some practical instruction
in the firing OF modern guns. and 1t was
pronounced . success.
1t was the first time a graduating class
Of West Point cadets has had an oppor-
tunity Of seeing big guns fired and the Of
hoers in charge OF the exhibition were 90
we'll pleased with the result that II was
practically decided that hereafter each
graduating class should have similar
fhe cadets left West Point At e;ls o clock
yesterday morning and arrived at the
Weehawken station Of the West shore road
at $50 O'Clock. There were nincty-three
cadets. all the members Of the graduating
class except one, who Ia Ill.
The cadets we're In charge OF Capt. F. +.
Hobbs, who Is instructor Of gunnsry and
ordnance at the Academy. IT was Capt
trip, with the Idea Of giving the cadets the
benefit OF some practical instruction In
col. Mills, commandant at West Point
Col. Treat. Capt. Jameson aud about
fifteen instructors and officers accom-
The Government steamboat Gen. Meigs
was waiting al the West Shore station,
and the party, numbering 1l6 in all, was
Immediately taken to Sandy Hook There
they were met by Col. Livermore and q
number Of officers from the harbor forts
ment.
Four hours were spent at tho proving
ground and Fort Hancock. The cadets ex-
amined all the guns from the one-pounder to
the great le-inoh monster and saw them
loaded and discharged. The workings OF
rapid-flre defence gu M and the different
field guns were explained and the big NOR
tars we're fred. The cadets were pArticu-
larly Interested In the firing OF the big 10
inoh gun, which sent its shells far out to
4 tweive-inch torpedo shell loaded with
l nss e1 Tth good Ts esa fSe
force Of shrapnel Aired out to sea and At
targets from rapid Are guns was made
apparent to the cadets:
The officers who had charge Of the guns
fired from Battery Hallock were Capt;
Tahappal and Leiits Penfield King and
Schulz The firings from the mortar bat
terry were directed by artillery officers.
After the tests Capt. Hobbs said:
Think the exhibition was a great success
and valuable lession to the cadets. They
got a chance to examine the guns and see
fow they arc worked The instruction
was Of practical value TO them at this time.
because just now they are studying sea
coast defence and all about field guns.
The exhibition might be called an expert
ment, as 1t Is the first graduating class
which has had the experiences, but it proved
such q success that future graduating
Glasses will get the same instruction
Tho General Meigs took the party back
from Sandy Hook at I o'clock and arrived
The cadets, officers and instructors took
the $50 O'Clock train for West Point.