The National tribune., 1904-07-07

quick-frers. The function Of the heavy
guns is essentially 10 pierce the armor
which stops the quick k-firers' projecfil lies,
hence practise with the former is mainly
Judged by the number OF hits, whereas the
capabilities of the quick frers are esti.
mated by the weight Of the metal hitting
the target.
1t is most fortunate for the Nation that
Secretary Moody and Rear-Admiral Tay-
lOr. recognizing the inestmable value of
Admiral Farragut's fine phrase--The
best protection from an enemy's fire is a
| well-dirccted fire from our own ships
! have broken away from iron bound ira.
ditions and archaic methods, and, i'm the
face Of strong hostile criticisms. have au-
thOriZed the new order of naval gunnery.
Preparedness at the outset of any naval
war counts most Of all. The day Of formal
declarations of war and of the accom-
panying ceremOnials has passed. When
two countries face each other with hostile
intent, the one which strikes first and
hardest is apt to score the highest. Vex-
ing questions of international law must be
settled afterward by diplomacy, but those
whose trade it is TO fight ashore or afioat
must be on the lookout for a vulnerable
point in the harness of the enemy, and
speedily seek it with gun. ram, or torpedo
OF late. there has been not a little criti-
cism of the administration of our own
fleet. There are those who deprecate con-
stant cruising and regular target practise
because such manuvers involve a great
cost for coal and powder, an incessant
wear and tear of material. and a wasting
OF the energies Of the personnel; but eff
cheney can only be obtained by exercises
a3proximating as closely as possible to
war conditions. If the ma terial wears out
the resources of the country can readily
repair all damages: if the personnel gives
way. it is far better to find our weakness
.l, L.,
tie.
All the reports OF the record practise
for the current year have not yet been re-
celved. but IL is known that the results OF
the firing have shown a decided improve
ment over the scores made last September.
At Pensacola. last month, there was a
close contest for the pennant and the prize
battleship trophy between the Kearsarge
and the Alabama. in which the Alabama
was successful. but a few days afterward
she lost lt TO the hattleship Wisconsin.
flagship of the Asiatic Station, which
made record of So per cent. OF
hits. The Wisconsin in turn has been
compelled to yield the trophy to the sec
ond-class battleship Texas, whose record
has not yet been officially announced by
the Navy Department.
The achievement of the Texas probably
will not be exceeded during the present
practise.
So proficient have the bluejackets be-
come in handling the turret guns. that in
actual target practise on hoard the Ala
hama a 13-inch gun is loaded and fired in
So seconds. Five years ago the official
time allowance fer firing gun of this
caliber was six minHtesi lin other words,
the turret guns have become rapid -frers,
a fact which suggests no end Of interest
ing changes in the armament and its ar
rangement on board the fighting ships Of
the lire. inasmuch as the necessity for
the intermediate" battery (guHs from
to 8 inchesl no longer exists. The alert
Japanese. it is said. have already taken
prompt advantage of this new condition,
and have approved designs for two
heavily armored battleships of 1900 tons,
each armed with 12-inch and 10-inch guns
only, in the main battery. The 12-inch
guns are capable of piercing II inches OF
armor at n range of three miles.