Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1903-06-04
BATTALION OF
ARTILLERY DRILL
FIELD PIECES HANDLED WITH SKILL BY
MIDSRIpMen.
Program Of Fourth Days Exercises At The
Naval Academy Practical DriII
In The Machine Shop.
THE GRAND FINALE TO-
MORROW.

fourth days exercises at the Acadmy
today and the beautiful women. hand
somely gowned. oulnumbered the male
spectators five to one.
The weather man is doing his best 10
make the week the brightest and best OF
the season, ard one long TO be remem-
bered by the great army OF visitors.
Save for the increased warmth of the
suns rays. the day was perfect one.
LAST OF THE DRILLS.
This was the last day OF the drills, and
practical exercises before the Board Of
Visitors, will close tomorrow with steam
tactics and boats under oars and sails.
The exercises OF the day consisted of
artillery drill in the morning and prac-
tical exhibitions in the different machine
shops in the afternoon.
The usual dress parade will be held in
the evening. The association OF the
alumni of the Naval Academy will hold
its business meeting and banquet tonight.
The artillery drill OF the morning was
under charge OF Lieut.. w. X. Shoemaker
the instructor in that line of tactics. The
cannon used were eight 4-inch rapid-fire
machine guns, mounted on wheels and
each drawn by gun crew OF midship-
men. The remaining midshipmen in each
section made up an infantry escort.
The battalion marcht on the field in
column Of sections promptly at 9. 30, and
forming in column OF companies, 10 line
Of sections, marched and countermarched
by the reviewing stand. The battalion
was then turned to the LEFT and drawn
up in battalion front, after which it was
presented 10 the board through the per-
son OF the Boards reviewing officer.
The ceremony Of the occasion was com.
pleied with this presentation and practical
drills began. The essence of the drill was
to illustrate how the artillery and infantry
could act together in battle formations.
The latter reconnoitered the position of
the enemy and acted as vanguard TO
prepare the way for the advance OF the
guns. and to protect the rear in case OF a
retreat. After having gone through the
different changes of direction and exten-
sions and diminishing OF the front of the
formations, the battalion formed in the
back of the parade grounds and wheeled
and advanced at the double quick to
point near the reviewing stand, where
turn was mad. and firing began. After a
short time firing ceased and a line Of
infantry was advanced, which, after hav-
ing achieved their position, lay on the
ground and opened lively fusilade.
After this had been continued a suffi-
ciently long time, the artillery advanced
and opened fire. This was repeated until
the breadth OF the parade ground had
been covered. The battalion then went
through the form OF retreat, the infantry
contesting the ground as they went. The
battalion charged front. showing how an
attack would De met coming from the
flank at different angles. An interesting
movement was shown just here, showing
how the guns could be rendered useless
TO the enemy in case they had to be
abandoned at short notice. At the word
the party at each gun entirely dismantled
its piece and carried the wheels, breech-
block and other essential parts to the
rear. leaving the rest, thus rendered use
less TO the enemy lying on the ground.
MACHINE SHOP DRILL.
For this afternoons exercises the mid.
shipmen gathered in the hall of the steam
engineering building or machine shop
and there demonstrated to the Board OF
Visitors and a number of general OBJ
servers an intimate acquaintanceship with
their work and what they know of the
intricacies of machinery.
The middies were at their stations at
the various machines and a busy scene
vas presented. Toe visitors in this de-
partment were interested in the bent
shaft and propeller from the torpedo boat
destroyer Plutoh, which was DESTROYED
at Santiago. Another trophy is torpedo
boat engine, taken from the Spanish
cruiser Mara Teresa. OAe feature of
the work appreciated by the board was
the ready explanation given by each
midshipman to the inquisitorial members
of the board, OF the details of each piece
OF the work on which he was engaged,
together with the capabilities OF the
machine on which be was working.
The Board OF Visitors went to the
machine shop, the blacksmith and the
pattern shops, where they saw welding,
and working in iron and afterwards tested
the pieces. In the pattern shop, the di-
veTsity OF stages OF woodworking was
in progress, examples Of which were
shown the Board of Visitors. In the de-
signing room some beautiful specimens
IN the way of engine and boiler designs
were seen, The work oi the midshipmen.
In addition to the drawings the note
books Of the midshipmen were on exhi-
biiion. showing all their calculations of
the complicated machinery their instruc-
tors had given them to work out.
ACADEMY NOTES.
Last night the Superintendent of the
Naval Academy entertained thirty guests
at stag dinner. Those present included
the members of the Board of Visitors,
The academic board and lev others.
Every type of the modern American
vessel has been represented, except the
armored cruiser, during the present ex-
ercises. and the whole presented the
most brilliant and varied naval specta-
Gle ever seen here.
Fer the FIRST time in the history Of the
Naval Academy the intercollegiate con-
test viii take place at the Academy next
March. The teams exercising with the