The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-02
Senator Mallory and Party
Visit the Fort and Wit
ness Daily Drill.
INTERESTING INFORMATION REL.
ALIVE TO FoRTIFIcATIoN THAT
GUARDS THE ENTRANCE TO
PENSACOLA HARBOR-MEN ARE
POORLY PAID FOR HIGHLY
TECHNICAL SERVICES.

For the purpose of familiarizing
HIMSELF as much as possible with the
lagiS of the coast defense. and parti-
C'aly so in view of the effort which
vii be made during the coming ses-
son of congress to secure authority
fr an addition of 5000 men to the
roast artillery forces, Senator s. R.
Mallory yesterday visited the bat
tries at Fort Pickens and wit
aessed the regular daily gun drill by
ne artillery stationed there
1t has been only of recent date that
the new rule, permitting visitors at
The forts without the necessity of Sc
curing permission from the secretary
Of war, went into effect, and conse.
Qnently citizens may now visit any
oi the coast defenses by permission of
The commanding officers. This makes
possible for a public official or 70,
auv responsible citizen to visit a gov
eminent fort without the necessity
for bringing into play all of the red
tape which, until the new order was
issued. made it next to impossible for
anyone not connected with the army
% visit or inspect government work
Of this kind.
Witnessed Gun Drill.
Senator Mallory was accompanied
ly President Mayes and Secretary
lTes Of the Chamber of Commerce,
IS Marshall T. F. McGourin. and
CAT y. G. Brent, and the party
S0e-- some two hours at the various
Tcrks in connection with the Fort
Rckens batteries.
The men were seen in their regular
gun drill The big 12-inch disappear
ilg guns. with their smaller compan-
onS, and the heavy mOrtOrs were ali
PM through the process of loading.
siming and firing. (Simply drill
cartridges were used. no shots being
fTed) The monster guns are all
onerated by interchangeable hand or
electric power and they rise from
'1eir crOuchiDg positions behind the
heavy sand Notifications, swing into
Place and are lowered again from
view Of the enemy with the noise
oSs ease and rapidity of a leopard
laaplnE from ambush upon its prev
and then retiring Immediately into
mo impenetrable shadows of its for
est retreat
Guns Cannot Be Used.
A portion of these guns, however.
cannot be used because although
mere are more men proportiOnately
" these forts than almost any of the
'ountry's coast defenses, there are
SUI not enough TO serve all of the
guns here or to even keep them from
rushing Several of these monster
.ranons which cost the government |
S''"'o. with an additional $500 for !
'N,or'ment, or q total of 100000
nscn are now lying unused. covered |
win mick grease to protect them |
IRON the weather. useless from any
'ac'lcal standpoint, and represent |
ne IN absolute waste of monev.
simply because. while the govern. |
.Hnt has spent the money TO install |
IN IL mas not provided for sufi- |
INT men 10 serve or operate them
ven In a time OF profound peace.
The Rifle Finders.
One OF the most interesting nc
vol as highly impOrtant features of
N" coast defense is the range fndirr
.nparatus In fact, this is ecrel,v nc
@nortant as the guns themselves. no
'1nS' without a means of finding mo
lang" or location of the object to no |
l'eH at the guns would be useless
,.'opI" who have gone down the har. |
'oT have seen the several little
Naro houses stationed at intervals
,.ohr the outer beach Of Santa Rosa
.''nd and many have wondered what
l'y We're for. Those houses contain
,..o various apparati for locating the
.'S''n'' and the movement of YES
N,i AT sea- There are eight of them
1S''h"r-two sets with four in
ecu Sr'-and each of the latter is
:, -"," Yards from its counterpart
me ilrSt four. There are there
''nr sets of range finders-or
- Tor each battery. Each SGT Is in
Instant electrical and telephone |
.,mmunication with each other and
=, a." Inc battery. and having located |
,.u' uly's shin. its location is i'm :
,,'.' y teleDhoned to the battery !
r' no gun is trained according to |
range given. /
'.' location of an object is found /
.. cans Of the old principle of the !
.''--''. The distance between the /
hndors-2 900 vards-renre-
~. ne olS" of the triangle. The |
-' W III" lines starting from this
ana crossing the object at sen
| >-''rn'n"d by Instruments in the
r., Nn''rS, tho object beipo of
| -, So ~ Tho point where the lines
- WIN these given figures the
lo.'y' 10 ne crossing point. or the
''''h o. the vessel. is ascertained
"9ntinued on Page Eighty