The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-04-09
DARING FIRING TEST.
Navy Wants Twelve Volunteers
as Target For Gun.
THEORETICALLY IT IS SAFE.
Proposition Is That Volunteers Shall
Man Turret Of Monitor Whom Shell
Hits It-Sixty Ton Gun to Fire Huge
Shot at Eleven Inch Armor Belt.


Hits It--Sixty Ton Gun to Fire Huge
Shot at Eleven Inch Armor Belt.
The navy department has under CON
sideration probably the most startling
test Of the penetrating power of shells,
danger to life ard the resisting power
OF armor that ever has been tried In
any OF the worlds navies.
The proposition is to have the mon
flor Arkansas, now being prepared for
the test. fire a twelve inch shell weigh
ing $50 pounds from sixty ton gun
distance OF two miles and have 1t
strike the turret of the Arkansas sister
vessel. the Florida. The astounding
part of the affair Is the proposition to
have In the turret of the Florida at the
time OF the impact a full turret com
plemept OF twelve men.
The question of having crew In
the turret was discussed at great
length at the navy department the 9th
er day All. figuring on paper, taking.
in the weight o. .,re,n thrown. the
neal generated by the impact the re-
sisting power OF armor and other de-
tails. indicates that the men In the
turret would come out unscathed ex-
cept for the shock, but still, OF course,
there Is no record in existence OF
monitor. the turret protected by an
eleven inch armor belt, being struck
plump by twelve inch shell OF $50
pounds weight. All figures are OF
necessity theoretical. Still 1t Is the be-
lief that volunteer crew can be Sc
cured 10 remain IN the turret at the
time of the experiment.
The possibility of the shot missing Is
small. All shots are now fired from
geometrlca deduction and with ma
chine precision The shell will doubt
less land just where intended, and then
II the theory OF the naval experts holds
good 1t will be detected and the turret
left uninjured. Rear Admiral Mason,
chief OF the bureau of ordnance, ana
Lieutenant Commander Sellers discuss
ed the matter The first plan was to
place twelve dogs or pigs In the tur-
ret and see the effect upon them, but |
the proposition of volunteer crew Is
now under adyisement, The Arkansas |
Is ut Norfolk, and the Florida is near /
by.
Naval attaches from all parts of the
world have heard OF this test and are
nnxiousy scramblng for an opportu-
nifty to witness II, but the department
has declined all applications. In fact.
1t Is said that the test will be made far
at sea. so that observations and deduc-
lions by foreign powers cannot be
made.
SO great Is the lighting spirit of the
navy and so courageous the men OF the
line that already news of the proposed
test has leaked out. and volunteer
crew Is said TO be ready
Admiral Mason Will give no informa-
tion ON the subject. and many false ru-
mors have obtained. One of the mis-
leading statements published was that
the Florida was TO be towed to point
ON the Potomac river and fired at from
a gun on shore. The real facts Of the
story developed only recently. One OF
the problems discussed is how valuable
the experiment would be as showing
danger to life II the turret were empty
when the shell struck It,
From what has leaked out 1t is learn
ed that, as the crew for the Arkansas
IS about to be selected and she is to be
put In commission probably before the
end of February, letters have been re-
ceived at the department protesting
against the plan of letting the Florida
be shot at without the courtesy Of a
reply.
The Florida's crew would like also to
test Its gunnery and shells of 800
at the turret of the iekansas.
The crew of the Florida Is aware, Of
course, that the Florida cannot possibly
be destroyed by shell hitting the tur
ret or even penetrating II, and they hold
that there would be no more damage
to the Arkansas than TO her sister that ,
has been selected for the martyrdom.
As matter OF fact, IN case the shot
from the Arkansas should by any ,
chance go wide some officers think
that there would be no objection to the
Florida taking n shot for the same pur-
pose at the turret of the Arkansas. The
result OF such duel would be no more
serious than II only one vessel fired.
The bureau of ordnance and the navy
experts generally regard the expert
ment as one which will add great c
deal to the practical knowledge of the ?
experts In ordnance and gun fire. The {
place selected viii In all probability be {
Dfr the capes near Norfolk. n