New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-09-19
GUNNERY CONTROVERSY
LiUely Dispute Bet7Ceen Army and
NaUu.

Washington. Sept ia decidedly interesting
troversy has arisen in army and navy circles which
If it is ever decided probably be settled only
by the commander in chief. who. it Is suggested.
may have been responsible for its inception. Which
excel the army the navy gunners? is the 4ues-
ton which has been propounded. and which navy
officer of high rank has answered with wealth of
detail intended to demonstrate to the powers that
be the superiority of navy gunnery- On the other
hand when it was discovered in army circles that
this officer none other than Commander Sims, d.
rector of target practice IN the navy. had been
making observations of artillery gunnery at Fort
Monroe and that he had prepared i report which
was on its way to high quarters, there was COM
motion in the army and activity IN the artillery
and II NAV be said conidentiaIy that another re-
port is likely reach the same high quarter which
will be of a character that may make It's recipient
wish that he had received full course OF instrue-
lions at both Annapolis and West Point
The unpublished reports the engagement with
tba spanish fleet at Santiago showed that only
ner cent of the shots fired by the United States
vessels reached their mark. and Immediately an
effort was made to bring navy grnnery up 10 d
higher state Of efficiency with remarkable results
For instance in the spring target practice DOM
tie Atlantic and Pacific fleets made percentage
sgb+Iv in excess of So One division Of the PACING
fleet scored 1885, and single SNIP the bos'o.I'
made practically 50 per cent or 10 De eAac'' 80
c-eat gains in rapidly Of firing have also been
made Formerly the largest guns, le-inch ana L
inch could be fired only once in five minutes NO"
,bav can be fred twice IN one minute. and they
are fred at that rate In target practice ana THESE
records are made with the ships steanlhs up anu
down the course, rolling with the waves ana at
a floating target which also takes tne Pl'cn anu
toss of the
rba nrog-ess Of navy g1Innery has been observed
NTH rr,de hut the question arose as 70 how the
progress of the army compared WIN that Oh '"o
navy and It was to answer that question .iia'
Commander Sims was detailed TO WISH ort 'ioii
he MIR
Of which has reached the army ana mas sen
tho General staff and the artillery division IN d
whirl.
From the point of view Of the army. navy gun
merry is mere chid's play. This view Is pest eI
PRESSED in the words of army officer OF high
49, "TTbv bless YOU sir" he exclaimed, the
re,.1, shoots at a range of 1870 yards, ana our
coast defence guns fred at ranges OF DIV
6 Oao and up to 5000 yards with an uililiA's
of nerhaps 12O1 yards. We might DO cohsiue' 80.
damage AT even greater distances than that Du'
that Is enough and 5000 TO $3.50 yards VIII oouo'
t.. - sq7cisnt to meet any attacks by warships'
..,,a,I,, II they are accustomed TO shoot al ~
ward ranges; So you see that Is the mann - -,
ence between the efficiency of the army anu -
- With the big guns. Why, II we had any gun
,ars IN the army who could not M H.o -
~ -, - e1O yards we would court nlaru0I
-, t ned -uu them out Of the service OF put
80, p work in the kitchens or soneWHeIe ~
v.bera they would not have anything 10 90 VII"
handling the big guns ....
aT+ f7st he admitted that the navy has different
conditions 10 meet from those met oy inc 90, -.
fe,ce Parhars II is not fair to compare the TWO
--.a-,s Theirs Is based on observations rlaue u
each shot and estimation Of the distance -
o,,. Of irnnact to the target. which eIIloouieS
,arcantaee OF error while ours is oaseu oi
tiec princfples Their system woulo he'e' -,
nc and fancy that II the fleets trN the 60 -
-,,ga ~ their autumn target practice they
- scores which they will be less anxious 10
-,,t,sb than they were their last scores II = ~
,bi,g n govern the gun fire from the TOP win
naIr Of binoculars at l.So yards, ana QUi'e Nl
tbtne when the range IS four or five times as
Ana now as 10 the comparative records OF the
two branches OF the service. let me cite the iaO'
~, az the recent target practice OF the coast oe
fencs n Fort Strong Massachusetts a nattery u
&C to-inch guns placed six consecutive snots IN d
rac,aDrle one yard high by four yaros iohs a' 50
thousand wards IN minutes and 81 secoHus w
battIeship ahoat could withstand that sor' OF ie
Inst sr,pnose that the target had been natteshp'
-, :, vas the object Of the fort 70 destroy
49, u.o,,,, have been sunk before she could nave
come within effective firing distance
..Tt,s had enough now. without ruooing IL IN
saId another army officer to-day. me army = '7
,,o,,Iar branch of the service, but 1t mas not s'
40 - Get out moving picture shows 70 get recslts.
a 80 - had % beIittle the navy to gain capital
80 ,..o,. haven't much 20 say on the subject
hut we ought least 10 be enti'ied 20 our '
credi. for what we have done
7-bo army, IS proud Of the navy. with the con-
ascending pride of an older brother For httie
cbsn the navy does very we'll. and IS probably the
&c. 80 ., anvy navy in the world with emphasis
- tho word navy is the tone OF the army officer
who discusses this all absorbing topic Incidentally
tho officers OF the General Stan intimate that 'he
aav Commander Sims undertook 10 make an ana
lvtical and comparative report on artliery guhe'E
would prove TO have sad one for the prestige