The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-16
WHOLE SYSTEM
 ID BE CHANGED Extra Charges of Ammunition in Handling Room TARGET PRACTICE CONTINUES Accident on the Missouri Continues to Be Sole Topic of Conversa-
 tion Among Naval
 Officers.
TARGET PRACTICE CONTINUES

Washington, April 15.-Searching inyes- tigation will be made by the court of in- quiry on the Missouri accident regarding the statement that four charges of ann munition were in the handling room of the after turret of the Missouri ready to be hoisted to the turret at the time the explosion occurred. This fact has been reported in the newspaper dispatches from Pensacola and seems to be borne out by the statement of a number of officers that 1t has been thought necessary, in order to fire as rapidly as our ships have been firing, to keep several charges in the target room. even though it is not in accordance with the regulation, that no time may be lost in bringing the charges from the magazine.
 If such be the case, 1t can be stated that this condition of affairs will be promptly remedfed. It was pointed out today at the navy department by an off, cial that the custom prevailed on board the other ships of the navy of keeping several extra charges in the handling room during target practice and it was said that if this were so no one on the Missouri could be held responsible.
 Tt Is the system and not the personnel which would be at fault" said this off, cial. Several high officials of the depart ment had not been before aware of this practice and expressed surprise at the re- port that such was the case. No action will be taken at the department until a full report of the accident and the find- ings of the court have been received
 Target Practice Will Continue.
 Notwithstanding the mystery which still surrounds the cause of the Missouri acci- dent, the announcement was made at the navy department today that there would be no suspension of target practice at Pensacola but that the other ships which have not yet finished will go on the range at the regular time
 It was learned tonight that the navy department is considering the appointment ment of a board of distinguished naval officers to take up the whole question of target practice in the navy, pass upon the efficiency of the precautions at pres ent in practice and make a report to the secretary showing among other things whether the present system of target practice should be modified. The name of Admiral Dewey has been unofficially mentioned as the president of the board. put tnlS mas not Deen ueciueu upoii' IL was said that the appointment of such a board necessarily will depend on the find- ings of the court of inquiry.
 Rear Admiral Capps, chief constructor of the navy, who has gone to Pensacola to inspect the Missouri at once, will looK into the question of equipping the turfens with bottoms.
 Turrents on the warships of foreign na- vies are fitted with a swing bottom which closes when the charge has been hoisted and the fact that the burning powder dropped from the turrets has revived the criticism of our bottomsless turrets. A telegram received today at the navy de- partment announced the appointment of Lieut.. l.. M. l.. Bristol as judge advocate of the court of inquiry Lieutenant Bris- tol Is one of the ordnance exeprts of the navy and an officer of marked ability.