The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-05-29
.TURRET STANDS HARD TEST
BIG GUN FAILS TO PUT IT OUT OF
COMMISSION.
FIGHTING MAST STANDS FIRM

Real War Demonstration In Hampton
Roads Results In Victory for Turret
Construction and Newly Designed
Battle Mast.
Old Point Comfort, Va. May 2S.-
The biggest naval gun the heaviest
projeCtile and the highest explosive
known, combined with close range and
deadly aim, were allowed to work
their full havoc on the turret plate OF
the monitor Florida. The result is
declared to DO victory for turret
construction. and this nothwithstand.
ing the eleveninch hardened steel
plate was blackened and broken. the
seams of the turret sprung and the
Tivets and screws loosened and
twisted. II was not five minutes after
the terrible impact that the finely
balanced mechanism OF the turret was
being worked with perfect ease and
the twelve-inch gun on the left side
was trained at will. inside the turret
where stand the gunners and gun
crew the havoc was much loss appar-
ent than from the outside. ESamina-
ton showed that of the many delicate
ly adjusted instruments for fire con-
troll, sighting and operating the tur-
ret. few, II any, were out OF working
order.
IF this had happened In battle the
Florida would be fighting yet" said
one of the rear admirals, with enthu.
Eiasm. Then followed futile attempt
to destroy the newly designed fight.
ing mast ON the stern of the Florida.
After FIVE shots of the guns had gone
through 1t the mast stood firm.
Forty shots would not bring 10
down and no enemy would waste am
munition and time shooting at It," was
the expert comment.
1t was predicted that all new shiNs
will be equipped with battle masts OF
this design.
Every Naval Bureau Represented.
The story of the shooting up" Of
the Florida by the Arkansas, however,
is not contained in the technical state.
ment OF results. 1t was an event in
which the keen edge of expectation
was not dulled by the realization.
Rear admirals and brigadier generals,
together with their juniors, scurried
under protected decks and then
hoped out again as quickly to look
for the damage done by the boom and
roar they had felt and heard. Every
naval bureau was represented, like.
wise the ordnance and artillery of the
army. The scene OF the real war dem
onstration was Hampton Roads.
The Florida, which has been in the
hands of experts for some time, pre-
scented the appearance OF a resigned
martyr. She lay with her nose point
ing out through the Virginia capes
Most striking in her appearance was
the leaning tower" on her stern, the
woven military mast, resembling a
huge waste paper basket,
Just 342 yards on the inside of the
Florida lay her sister ship, the Arkan.
sas The distance looked cruelty close
az the big guns on the latter ship pre-
pared to take 1nerTlng aim. At 1919
the big noise" came. two crashes so
close together that it sounded like
one. The twelve-inch projectile had
hit it's target 1t was a crash. fash
and a clopd Of yellow smoke quietly
drifting away 6yet TIE t7Tp e. the the Flor.
| Ida. what was leiL Wa {. p.e T,t,',.
wound, Just to the right of the right
hand gun there vas what looked like
a hole. The officers went to the Flor
ida at once. The plate had been
broken through from the gun port to
the edge just above and just below
where the shell struck. The broken
piece had been driven into the turret
several inches, but not the thickness
Of the plate, SO that no hole was actu-
ally made
Officers entered the turret at once
and its mechanism was operated, the
turret being swung completely around
each way. and the left hand gun
trained,
Test Fighting Mast.
1t was nearly noon before the Off
GERS had satisfied themselves with the
turret experiment and attention was
turned to testing the fighting mast.
The first shot at that structure was
fired from one of the four-inch guns
of the Arkansas, and besides piercing
an iron plate. largest at it's base it
cut one Of the supporting pipes and
injured others.
The second shot was from the sam
gun and cut two tubes a little highe.
up and on the other side of the mast.
The third shot missed, and then the
order was given to fire a fOur.inch ex-
pIosive shell high up near the top OF
the mast This shook the structure
and tore asunder a number Of the
tubes. but the mast seemed as stable
as ever The fifth and last shell was
a solid shot from the big twelveinch
gun, aimed so as to hit the mast gu
its outer rim on the side leaning to-
wards the water, the structure having
purposely been tilted at an angle Of