Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-25

latter ships are ten years Old does not
detract from the efficiency of their fire.
No better illustration of this can be had
than the fact that the Illinois carries the
record trophy for battleships having won
1t last year from the Wisconsin. The
old ships are constantly being fitted with
modern guns and can hit just as hard
anu as often as the new ones. They have
not as many guns however, nor the speed
no. the strength of armor of the latter
day ships. and either the Kentucky or
kearSargc or the Alabama and Illinois
must give way to the Wisconsin and the
Nebraska when the fleet leaves San
Francisco July g. for its tour of the
world.
Record of the Albany.
The standard of accuracy at record tar
get practice has been set this year by
thu cruiser Albany, which made total
score of lbs hits out of 1870 shots at d
rate of fire never before attained in the
navy The Albany. however. has no tur
ret guns of large caiber to bring down
tn, average for rapidity. and no battle
ship can hope to accomplish all that this
little cruiser. which flies the champion
ship pennant of red from her peak, did
a. the targets.
The stories of the target practice work
at Ma gdalena bay are filled with inter-
est. The little targets are placed at the
apex of a carefully measured triangle.
across the base of which the ship at
practice Steams at the rate of ten knots
al hour AS the ship approaches the
range the gun pointers and loading crews
ar. stripped to their waists. Guns are
kept trained the target some time
b fore the signal to begin firing is sound
ed through the ship, and scarcely have
the first notes of the well-known bugle
call 60 on been sounded when the
crack of the guns is heard.
Strangely enough it is declared that to
,;.l, l,
small rifles is more trying on the nerves
than the deeD-throated roar of the r.
inch guns, whose great muzzles protrude
with an unmistakabie menace from the
slanting elliptical turrets of the modern
vessels Below decks the magazine crews.
far down in the handling rooms. empty
charges of smokeless powder from the
copper tanks in which they are stored,
and send them flying through the wiring
on the hoists. AS each tank is opened the
smell of inter is almost Overpowering,
despite the fact that the powder still is
protected by an alright bag of heavy
silk.
Follow the Shells.
The firing lasts but five minutes. Then
the ship turns and steams back in the
opposite direction, giving first the port
and then the starboard gun crews their
turns at the target Officers and men are
especially TRAINED tne WOTh OF Hollow
ing the fire of the guns. Some have eyes
keen enough to pick up the pencil-like
three and five-inch shells soon after they
leave the muZZlcs of the guns and follow
them to hit or miss at the target. When
one Of these lynX-eyed experts once was
asked by q landsman if he could see
Pinch shell going through the air he eX
claimed: See it. Why it looks Us big as
a trolley car.
Torpedo Tests.
SAN DIEGO. Cal, March 25.-Lieut
Joseph r. Defrees, one of the men in
charge of the United States government
naval gun factory at Washington, d. c., Is
in San Diego. Ell route to Masdalena bay
where he goes to inspect the new torpedo
tubes being used for the first time by the
.ba ttIeship fleet. 1t is the intention of the
department to give the tubes thorough
try out at Magdalena bay before deciding
to use them.
Relief Sails.
SAN FRANCISCO. March .t-The
United States hospital ship Relief sailed
today for Magdaena.