New-York tribune., 1908-05-28

broken, the seams of the turret sprung and the
rivets and loosened and twisted
It not five minutes after the terrible I'M
pact that the finely balanced mechanism OF the
turret was being worked with perfect ease and
the 12-inch gun the left side was trained at
will Inside the turret where stand the gunners
and gun crew, the havoc was much less apparent
than from the outside. Examination showed
that of the many decately adjusted instruments
for fire control sighting and operating the tur-
ret. few if any We're out of working order.
'If this had happened in battle the Florida
would be fighting yet" said one of the rear
aGmirals with enthusiasm.
Then followed futile attempt to destroy the
newly designed fighting mast erected on the
stern of the Florida. After five shots from the
Arkansas guns had gone ripping through it, the
mast still stood firm.
Forty shots would not bring it down. and no
enemy would waste ammunition and time shoot
ing at it." was the expert comment. 1t was
predicted that all ships will be equipped
with battle masts of this design.
SHOOTING Up" AN EVENT
The story of the shooting up" of the Florida
by the Arkansas, however. is not contained in
this technical statement of results. It was an
event in which the keen edge of expectation
was not dulled by the realization Rear admirals
and brigader generals, together with their
juniors, scurried under protected decks and then
popped out again quickly to look for the
damage done by the shots. Every naval bureau
was represented, likewise the ordnance and ar
tiery of the army.
The scene of the real war demonstration was
Hampton Roads. The Florida, which had been
the hands of experts for some time. lay with
her pointing out through the Virginia
Capes. near Thimble Shoal Light and about four
miles from Old Point Comfort. She had steam
up and a large American flag foated astern.
Back of the bridges on the upper structure there
hung the weekly wash of several jackies. But
most striking in her appearance was the lean
ing tower" her stern, the pipe mill
tary mast resembling a huge waste paper
basket on top of its 125 feet of height was a
broad platform where two dummy sailors fash
ioned from boards stood bravely looking down
two dummies of the pattern on
the turret forward One of the two big guns
which protrude from this turret had been
moved and cripple" gun occupied its place
Just 342 yards on the inside of the Florida lay
her sister ship the Arkansas. The distance
looked cruelty close the big guns the latter
ship prepared to take unerring aim.
TEST OF ACTUAL WARFARE.
This is SuCh 2 test as would never occur IN
actual warfare" remarked a rear admiral,
the party of officers boarded the Arkansas. The
aim will be perfect; the distance is so close that
the impact will be at its full velocity, and the
part Of the Florida to be hit is the weakest"
All Of these points presented themselves to the
party of naval officers on the little cruiser
Montgomery, as the bright morning sun, feecy
white clouds and gentle breeze added the in
spra ton of perfect day.
A fleet Of naval tugs from the Norfolk Navy
Yard, the army torpedo planter Ringgod, with
the army officers from Washington aboard, and
the tender Fort Monroe. with thirty officers from
the artillery school and forty from the post.
besides the little torpedo boat Norris constituted
the fleet which hovered around the Arkansas
and the Florida as early as S o'clock Every
body went aboard the Arkansas. and attention
was at once directed to a strip of canvas held
up between two stafs the turret of the
Florida
we are going TO shoot 12-inCh projectile
through that target TO get the range" was the
and when you see the red flag
go 70 the masthead of the Arkansas and hear
her whistle, scoot for cover"
There was just a suggestion Of a ground swell
coming In through the Capes, and as the chief
fault with the monitor class of ships is that
they feel" any swell. it was an hour and a
quarter before Lieutenant Walter NJ. Falconer,
in charge Of the big guns got his aim. There
was a crash a roar, the monitor kicked back into
the water and sprang up again. and when the /
-anvas target came into view ii had a hole
through lis lower half. Then the turret of the
Florida was slowly swung around that her
yuus and those Of the Arkansas looked squarely
II each other
FIRST SHOT HITS THE FLORIDA
More than hour of gun training followed;
,ut at 1O:42 O'Clock the big noise" came-two /
.rashes so close together that they sounded like /
me The inch proiectile had hit its target |
II was a crash. a flash and a cloud of yellow |
.nocl.o quietly drifting away over the top of the /
7lorida What was left was a big. black wound.
lust to the right Of the right hand gun there
CONTINUED Oh Second fageD