The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-28
Florida's Steel Plate Broken,
but Mechanismof Turret
Worked Perfectly.
HIT AT SHORT RANGE
BUT ABLE TO FIGHT
With Biggest Naval Gun, Heavi.
est Projectilc and Highest Ex-
plosive Known Employed,
>the Test Shows Victory
for the Turret Con-
struction.
Id POINT COMFORT, VA, May
" 27.-The biggest naval gun,
the heaviest projectfle and the

Id POINT POINT COMFORT s;srset I.y., VA Ma. MAY
the heaviest proJecttle and the
~ highest explosive known.
combined with close range
and deadly aim. were to-day allowed
to work their full havoc on the turret
plate OF the monitor Florida. The re-
! suit lis declared to be victory for
the turret construction, and this. no.-
withstanding the 1i-inch hardened
steel plate was blackened and broken,
the seams OF the turret sprung, ana
the riyets and screws loosened and
twisted.
1t was not five minutes after the
terrible impact that the finely bal
anced mechanism of the turret was be-
ing worked with perfect ease and the
12-inch gun on the left side was train
ed at will. inside the turret. where
stand the gunners and gun crew, the
havoc was much legs apparent than.
from the outside. Examinations show
ed that OF the many dtlicateiy adjust
ed instruments for fire control. sight
ing and operating the turret, 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 enthus-
ism.
There followed a futile attempt to
destroy the newly designed fighting
mast erected on the stern of the Flor
ida. After five shots from the Ar
Eansas's guns had gone ripping through
1t the mast still stood firm.
Forty shots would not bring it
down, and no enemy would waste am-
munition and time shooting at H." was
the 5s.l eG.ament 1t was predicted
that all new ships will be equipped
with battle masts OF this design.
Great Interest In Test.
The story OF the Shooting up" o;
the Florida by the Arkansas, however,
is not contained in this technical state
ment ofresults. 1t was an event which
the keen edge of expectation was no.
dulled by the realization. Rear-ah-
mirals and brigadier-generals, togeth-
er with their Juniors, scurried under
protected decks, and then popped out
again as quickly to look for the dam
age done by the bombs roar they had
felt and heard. Every naval bureau
was represented. likewise the ordnance
and artillery of the army
The scene of the real war demon
stration was Hampton Roads. already
made famous by naval events, ene lat
est being the spectacular departure of
the Atlantic battleshIp fleet on its long
journey around the world. which was
reviewed by President Roosevelt.
The Florida. which has been in the
hands OF experts for some time, pre-
scented the appearance OF a resigned
niartyr. She lay with her nose point
ing out through the Virginia capes.
near Thimble Shoal Light. and about
four miles from Old Point Comfort.
She had steam up and large Amerl-
can flag floated astern. Back of the
bridges, on the upper structure. there
hung the weekly wash of several jack
les. But most striking In her appear
ance was the Leaning Tower on her
stern. the woven pipe military mast,
resembling a huge waste paper basket.
On top Of its 1o5 feet Of height was a
broad platform, where two dummy
sailors, fashioned from boards, stood
bravely, looking down on two moro
dummies Of the same pattern on the
turret forward.
One of the two big guns had been
removed from the turret and a Grip
pie" gun occupied its place.
Fire mt Close Ranxe.
Just 342 yards on the inside of the
s Florida lay her sister ship. the Ar
kansas. The distance looked cruelty
close.
This Is such a test as would never
occur In actual warfare" remarked a
rear-admiral, as the big party OF Off
! GERS boarded the Arkansas. "Thc ain
will be perfect; the distance is SO close
that The impact will be at its full
velocity, and the part Of the Florida
10 be hit is the weakest"
Affect of naval tugs from the Nor
folk ward, the army planter Ringgold
with the army officers from Washing.
ton aboard and the tender at Fort
Monroe, with seventy officers from the
artillery schools post, beside the little
torpedo. boat Morris. constituted the
float which hovered around the Ar
kansas and Florida Everybody wen
aboard the Arkansas and attention was
directed to strip Of canvas held ur
between two staffs on the turret OF
the Florida.
eve are going to shoot a 12-incf
pro1ectile through that target to get
the range" was the announcement. \
The Aim Was Truc.
There was just the suggestion OF q
grand swell coming In through the
capes, and 1t was an hour and a
quarter before Lieutenant Walter N
talconer, In charge OF the big guns
rot his aim. There was crash,
roar, the monitor Kicked back intc
the water and sprang UP again, ant
when the canvas target came into8vieM
II had a hole through It's lower half
Then the turret Of the Florida was
slowly swung around so that her gun,
and those of the Arkansas looked
vquarely at each other.
q At 10:42 the big nois came, -twc
crashes so close togetherthat It sound
ed llkegone, One l2-inch projeotlla ha,
hit It's target, 1T was Al crash, a flast
and q cloud or yellow smoke quietly
drifting away eyer the top OF The
TT8 lContjnued d On Fourth Para-N a q