Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-09-20
IN THE DREADNOUGHT
BIG BRITISH BATTLESHIP AS SHE Is
SAILED AND HANDLED.

The battleship Dreadnought ha
just returned to her mOorings Of
Cowes, after day at sea-a day me
mOrabIe and significant. In the fore
noon-in fact, shortly after II o'clocl
the King, In th undress uniform o
an admiral of the fleet, accompanie,
by the Queen and Princess Victoria
the Prince of Wales. with whom wa
Prince Edward of Wales in the smar
uniform of naval cadet, and th,
Duke OF Connaught, proceeded ol
board the battleship Dreadnought
flagship of the home fleet, being receiv
ed with the usual naval ceremony.
After clearing the crowded water.
way the Dreadnought put on speed
and was soon sweeping out toward the
Nab at nearly q knots, rate o.
steaming without parallel in any bat
tleship hitherto. Even when going al
this rate the vessel is a marvel o
steadiness. There is an en- absence
of vibration except right It, where
one knows that the four screws art
cork screwing through the water
swiftly. With full head OF steam in
her boilers, and with three torpedo
boat destrOyers and three { rhine tor
pedo boats racing alongside IS consoru,
the Dreadnought forged ahead. Each
OF the black, MOSQUITO craft flew at
her masthead red flaming burgee, as
danger signal to ali shipping to clear
out of the way. The procession was
one of unique interest as a marine
spectacle, which no one who witnessed
it will ever forget.
When the Dreadnought had passed
the Nab lightship, about 20 miles
seaward outside Portsmouth,, eight
strange looking structures were seen
to be on the spot already, wita dock.
yard tug in attendance. The were
the targets at which the Dreadnought
was to fire with the huge 12 inch guns
which she carries, 10 weapons of tre-
mendouS destructive power, capable of
firing $50 pound shells at a velocity
sufficient to carry them about 20 miles.
Each target was of canvas, 16 feet by
70 feet only-picture the smallness of
the area! with an inner square of IA
feet colored red. This inner square is
the bullseye, and 1t is the aim of the
gnnneTs, OF course, to score bulls. AS
soon as the battleship came within
sight of the targets she was man. uver-
ed to get on the selected range-that
being the range of the gunlayers' test
of about one and half miles, some
times more, sometimes less Just
when everything was ready q mer-
chant ship got right in the line of fire
Consequently the Dreadnought steam
ed round again, until tue course was
clear. Then the great ship pushed for.
ward at speed of ~ knots, the equiv
alent OF nearly IA land miles, an hour,
on nearly straight course, so that
the range varied moment by moment.
All the party OIL board the ship had
been provided with ear plugs. A
bugle call created an atmosphere of
strained expectancy. Then the first
OF these huge weapons was fired The
sensation Was surprise, considering
that three quarters full charge,
amounting to about 100 pounds of
cordite, was used. The explosion was
less deafenlng than one Anticipated.
but the flare of the gun was almost
binding. and made the eyes of those
near throb with pain and the muscles
of the face contract in spasms. From
The mnZZle was emitted cloud of light
brown smoke. AS quick as thought
the great projectile sped OIL its way.
1t stabbed the air at speed of more
than half mile second Almost in
stantlY it had travelled the Intervening
space of one mile and a half, and
through the inner red of the target
had cut clean hole, scoring a bull,
Then in rapid succession the four guns
blazed away with screech and flare
OF light, as the Dreadnought steamed
on at an even speed of II knots. Again
bull. Another bull" was the remark
as the target was pierced, holed again
and again. Then another of the tar.
gets was the object of attack land with.
in few seconds had been carried
away shattered. At last, when the air
had been throbbing for, as it seemed,
many minutes. though the time must
have been very short in r, slity. the
bugle Cease fire" was sou ded. anG
the remarkable display of n4arksman-
shlp-almost more than casual spec
tator would imagine to be humanity
possible-was over. Then it was learn
ed that the result had beer at follows
Rounds fired, 12; bulls score,i, 9; hits
that is. shot piercing the target just
outside the inner red square,; and
Only-mark this l-one miss.
The efficiency of the periscope was re-
vealed by the ease with which the of.
ficers in command of the little craft
daring young lieutenants, acted on the
unexpected signals made to them from
the Dreadnought by Commander Sgd
uey Hall, inspecting officer of sub
marines. 1t was net known what or
d d4rs would be issued, and yet the series
OF signals were read by mean of the
perlscOpe when the submarines wert
entirely submerged except for the little
top OF this ingenious instrument
which confers sight on the craft maneu
vering below the surface. 1t was 8
revelation Of the height of human in
genditY TO watch these ships dive
| honaafl no Uutn l,Ixo