Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-04-30
Jockies of United States Navy
Being Given Target Drill
SEEK TO INCREASE PROFICIENCY
scott Dotter" Used for Practice With
Big Guns of the American Fleet
$500 Shots Fired at Santiago Of
Which Only 1923 Hit Target.
IBY FRANK ]. sTILLMAN.i


OF the gunners of the United States
feet. The statements disparaging our
gunners are not credited, nevertheless
the secretary OF the navy has deter |
mined that whatever may be the de-
gree of excellence of American gun
ners, there is still opportunity for i'm
Therefore, efforts in the line of accu-
racy and perfection in drill are to be
redoubled, and to this end the secre-
tary OF the navy has directed practice
during the Forthcoming inspection
early in May. This inspection is to
determine what practical benefits fol
lowed the maneuvers in the Caribbean
sea couple OF months ago, and the
ability of the gunners to get bulls eyes
in target practice.
1t will not be the fault of the pres
ent American naval administration if
the ships are not brought to a high
state of gunnery proficiency. Officers
and men are being constantly eXer-
cised at the guns. Because of the ex-
pense and the wear and tear on the
weapons, it is impossible to have con-
tinual practice with full charges. The
men are. therefore, drilled in a way
best calculated to fit them to shoot
when practice occurs. What is call
ed the Scott dotter,'' device invent
ed by Captain Scott of the British
cruiser Terrible is used throughout
the service, though there has been
modification to meet the demands of
the American bluejacket. AS designed
by Captain Scott, his dotter is a traget
placed in front of the muzzle of the
gun which is moved SO as to repre-
sent the rolling and pitching OF ship.
The gun pointer points his gun at the
bulls eye in exactly the same manner
as if he We're sighting an enemy's
ship. The moment he believes he has
the target in line he presses a button
and pencil strikes the dotter, indicat-
ing the correctness of the aim. The
American enlisted man was not salts
fed with the pencil, took no interest
in fact in the exercise.
In order to make the practice more
attractive the navy department adopt
ed small parlor rifle, in place of the
pencil which is firmly fixed inside of
the barrel of the gun. The guns crew
have the satisfaction of hearing the
pop of the rifle and seeing the hole
made by bullet. Extra money is al
lotted to gunpointers who prove the
most proficient, and these men, in or
der to stimulate them, are also CLASH
fed in the order of merit 1t is also
proposed to have target firing test
of ships under battle conditions-all
guns in action-and announce them to
the service in the order of merit The
department now has under considera-
ton what emblems, if any, shall be
given to men making themselves ex-
perts in gunnery.
The practice which has occurred in
| the gulf of Florida cannot be taken as
a standard which will be reached in
battle. The official reports show that
with comparatively old guns, mounts
and sights the Indiana at range OF
| 1000 yards succeeded in striking a
4 target p feet long by IL feet high ev.
cry time with three or four of her thir
teen inch guns. Her fourth thirteen
| inch gun was not so efficient, its rec.
ord being only fifty per cent. The I'LL
nois made an average of seventy-five
per cent and the Illinois has more
modern appliances. The Illinois fired
at the target used by the Indiana and
! the range was the same.
At first blush these achievements
seem remarkable, but the naval expert
1 is apt to point out several facts moi
apparent to the layman, which had ar
important bearing upon the results
For instance, neither the Indiana nol
the Illinois engaged in the practice in
! a rough sea. The weatehr was good
and there was no swell of consequence
In war the weather is not always pro
pitious. Then before recording the
practice reported, it is understood
there was preliminary firing to get tho
rance. If possible. this would be done
on the eve of action. Finally the range
was extremely short. The great dis
lance modern guns can shoot insured
i the delivery of mortal wounds long be
. fore getting within 500 yards of eacl
4 other. The day when ships grappleC
4 in death struggle has gone. In tn,
4 battle of Santiago, regarded as a clos,
action. the range during the decisive
part of the action was $500 yards N,
IlflNri OHiNtl VIII say ilidL Lilt pid
of the feet today is as good as it wa
before the war with Spain. and som
will insist that it is inferior Yet il
the battle of SANTIAGO the America
ships fired $500 proiectiles and onl,
1913 of them struck the TARGET. TIL
percentage of hits was only 1.3.
Twelve modern British battleships
mounting twelve inch guns made a
average of thirty four per cent OF hit
two years ago, and there was but Sigh
Improvement last year. In this prat
tice, the ships We're moving and tn
targets stationary. The German. Ru
sian and French navies' keep secret til
results of their target practice. Du
ing the Venezuelan blockade Germa
and British cruisers engaged in tn
bombardment of the forts at Puert
Cabello. The British practice wa
good, but the German shooting wa
wretched. Witnessing the work of til
Russian fleet in the Baltic some month
ago, Emperor William was greatly in
pressed by the gunnery displayed. an
when he returned to Berlin he ordere
renewed attention given to this in