Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-18
PASSENGERS EXCITED.
RECENT TARGET PRACTICE ON
-. CHESAPEAKE BAY.
Commander Gibbons Says the Cam
bridge Must Have Been Three Miles
From the Range.

Superintendent T. A. Joynes Of the
steamer lines of the Baltimore, Chesapeake
and Atlantic Railway Company recently
called the attention of the Navy Depart
ment to an incident in which projectiles
from the u. s. s. Dolphin, which was en-
gagged in target practice In Annapolis Roaos'
were said to have passed near the steamer
Cambridge April 8. The matter was mace
the subject of an investigation by the de-
partment. and a report was mace oy 'he
commanding officer of the Dolphin, Lieut..
Commander H. Gibbons, U. S. N.
1.-The Dolphin was engaged in preliminary
target practice on April at the Naval
Academy range. The weather was clear.
The range was frequently crossed by steam
ers. sailing vessels, scows, lows, etc. The
practice was superintendent by several COM
missioned officers, including the command
ing officer on the pilot house at the con, the
navigator on the bridge to note when the
range was clear the chief umpire lfrom inc
Naval Academy, the official spotter uIom
the Naval Academy and the ships spotter,
in the rear of the gun. These ofncers were
furnished with powerful binocular glasses.
specially designed for noting the night ana
fall of projectiles. The officer OF the gun
division, to note, among other things, wnen
the range was clear; the target umpire
from the Naval Academy, In boat near
the target.
What the Record Shows.
..The record of practice shows that on
April 8 the ship was steaming at ten
knots on the range, heading W.SW. from
10 hours IS minutes II seconds, for
distance of 1,6OO yards, during which
time seven shots were Aired from the
port four-inch gun. at ranges varying
from 1 400 yards to 1000 yards The rec
ord further shows that on this run hrfng
ceased twice, once for one minute seven
teen and a half seconds and again Tor one
minute nine seconds. to insure q clear
range. None Of these shots were WIG
and either struck the target or close to 1t.
Allowance was also MAIDS for ricochets
to the right and none were erratic
I'm view of these facts the testimony OF
the excited passengers of the Cambridge,
unacoustomed to the sound of projectiles
in flight, and certainly unable to see
them, evidently misjudged their distance.
Under the careful conditions under which
the practice was conducted the claim that
a shot passed over the Cambridge when
she must have been at least three miles
distant from the range Is, in my judg-
ment and in that of the six officers re-
ferred to above, impossible.
Capt. Brownson's Recommendation.
Commenting on this, Capt. w. H. Brown
son, superintendent Of the U. 8. Naval
Academy, says:
The within complaint illustrates the
objections to the use of this range for
great gun practice. While a range in the
Immediate vicinity of the Naval Academy
is necessary for the instruction of mid
shipmen in target practice, this necessity
does not exist for vessels of the general
service. While the danger from target
practice Is often exaggerated by mex
perienced persons, 1t is desirable to avoid
needless alarm as far as possible"
. The department has approved the rec
concentration of Capt Brownson that
vessels In the general service shall not
use the range in the vicinity Of the Naval
Academy for target practice.