The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-06-10
HOW FLORIDA
STOOD TEST
Monitor Caught Heavy Blow
From TWeIve-Incf
ProjectiIe.

OLD POINT COMFORT CVa.), Nav
27-The biggest naval gun, the heavi-
est projectile and the highest explosive
known, combined with close range and
deadly aim, were today allowed to
work their full havoc on the turret
plate of the monitor Florida. The re-
suit is declared to be a victory for
turret construction, and this notwith-
/ standing the eleven-inch hardened steel
| plate was blackened, broken, the seams
of the turret sprung and the rivets
and screws loosened and twisted.
| 1t was not five minutes after the ter
rible 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 mucn less apparent than
, from the outside. Examination show
ed that of the many delicately adjusted
instruments for fire control, sighting
and operating the turret, few if 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-
siasm.
NEW MAST STANDS TEST.
Then followed a futile attempt to
destroy the newly-designed woven wire
fighting mast on the stern of the Flor
ida. After five shots of the guns had
gone through it the mast stood firm.
CT,
and no enemy would waste ammuni-
ton and time shooting at it, was the
expert comment.
1t was predicted that all new ships
will be equipped with battle masts of |
this description
The scene of the demonstration was |
Hampton Roads. The Florida, which |
had been in the hands of experts for |
some time, lay with steam up, her nose
pointing out through the Virginia |
Capes near Thimble Shoal Light and I
a bout four miles from Old Point Com
fort. Just 342 yards on the inside of |
the Florida lay her sister ship, the Ar
kansas.
This is such test as would never
occur in actual warfare remarked a [
Rear-Admiral, as the big party of Of
icers boarded the Arkansas. 1.-The aim
will be perfect; the distance Is so close
that the impact will be at It's full velo-
city and the part of the Florida to be
hit is weakest
A strip of canvas was stretched be-
tween two staffs on the turret of the
Florida. The Arkansas fired twelve
inch projectile at the canvas to get the
range. There was a crash, a roar, the
monitor kicked back in the water and
sprang up again, and when the canvas
target came into view it had a hole
through it's lower half. Then the tur-
ret of the Florida was swung around
so that her guns and those of the Ar
kansas looked squarely at each other.
TURRET wITHSTANDS SHOCK.
At 1912 the "big noise came, two
crashes so close together that they
sounded like one. The twelve-inch
orojectile had hit its target. 1t was
crash, a flash and a cloud of yellow
smoke quietly drifting away over the
.op of the Florida. What was left was
big black wound. Just to the right
If the right gun there was what locked
ike a hole. The officers went to the
Florida. but before they got there her
rev of twenty or thirty ''tars" from
he receiving ship Franklin, Differed
~ Commander Jonn u. Qulmpy, COM
handing; Lieutenant Joseph K. Tus-
sig and a gunner. had come up from
he hold and were looking over the
lamage.
The plate had been broken through ]
rom the gun port to the edge just
tbove and just below where the she'll
struck. The broken piece had been
lriven into the turret several inches,
,ut not the thickness of the plate, so !
hat no hole was actually made. :
officers entered the turret at once I
md its mechanism was operated, the =,
urret being swung completely around :
ZACH way and the left-hand gun
rained.
SHOTS FIRED AT NEW MAST.
But the turret bore evidence of
fight. The paint along the seams had
disappeared, many of the seams We're