The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-07-26
7 REVIVAL Of target prac-
u n5 tee dates from the Spanish
IA n American War. Up to that
n ' time adequate attention had

1T ' time adequate attention had
~ - not been paid to the neces-
sary training to produce ex-
pert lesults in any navy in the world,
except possibly the French and Rus
sian. Since that time, England and
Germany have made important
changes in their systems, and in the
United States target practice has. been
carried on SO assiduously that recently
the American gunners established the
pest records that have ever been made.
The Wisconsin first broke the record
and later the Texas shot even better
Target practice in our navy is as old
as the guns. We always devoted much
time and attention to the guns. and in
so doing we acquired a worldwide
reputation in all our wars for excellent
shooting.
In the beginning Of the new century.
when the infant navy of the United
States first began to make itself heard
IN the West Indies and on the coast of
Barbary, target practice mot the
scientific drill of to-day, but none the
less target practice, including shooting
at beef ks-became throughout the
navy a part of every ships routine
and our sailors were thus for years
kept In training until the great strug-
gle came with the Acknowledged
champions of the ocean. Up to that
time only one English ship, the Shan
non. had target practice, or put sights
on her guns, and her reward came one
eventful June day in Boston Bay
ninety years ago, when she fought the
Chesapeake.
The necessity for target practice was
taught for all time on the bloody decks
of the Guerrero the Macedonian. the
Java. and the Peacock. 1t matters not
whether the gun in vogue is a carron-
ade, a Dahlgren. or modern high
powered rifle; unless 1t can be made to
hit the target, it is absolutely useless.
But it was not until the battle of the
lHalu, in the Chinese Japanese War,
that heavy gun-practice was seriously
considered. The value of the practice
was proved at Manila and Santiago.
The search of foreign experts for the
Oest way to hit mark resulted in the
present system OF target practice. gen
orally the same in all navies. and
brought to a high point of efficiency in
ours.
It Is only half the work to arm and
equip ships with the most improved
guns and sights; they must also have
highly trained personnel capable Of
manipulating guns, turrets, and tor
pedoes. When China found herself ar
rayed against Japan she offered $500
cash per month for skilled eun-
pointers, but, in all great navies gun
pointers are trained, not bought ana
when the fight is on It is too late for
instruction
HOW does man become an expert
gunner7 DiIigent drill and constant
training are not enough without Ger.
tain amount of natural aptitude. One
man after another is tried. A few.
days drill in the turrets eliminates al
except the fairly promising. For the
talent of eye and nerve which marks
the born gun-pointer the Government
pays from 50 to $40 month in addi-
ton to the mans regular pay. This
VAGhIiiuAl - not cOuuHeu TO any race.
creed, or color. On one vessel in the
navy one of the gun pointers is a,
negro.
Selecting gun-p0inters is one of the
most important duties in the navy.
Having selected the men for gun
pointers, the next step is to train them.
Two methods are now In vogue, both
having the same principle, but differ
ing in detail. In the old days Of sails
and smooth-bore guns, the inyariable
rule and the only rule the gun-cap-
tains knew was this: Fire at the
TOP o. the downward roll Gust as the
snip begins to roll toward the target,
ana aim at the enemy's waterline."
This rule lasted far into the age Of
steam and turret guns. and has only
recently been suppIanted BY scontinu-
ous-aim- firing" or the art OF keeping
gun trained on the target regardless Of
the oscillations Of the vessel. during
the whole or portion Of the rolf
Only one narson in fva 1,ens fI7a 4,Ifs