Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-10-27
c, N, cAMPBELL DEpIcrs ANAvAL scKsE

From Hampton Roads, Virginia, Cas-
sius M. Campbell, who is a member of
the crew on the battleship "Ohio, ,"
recently wrote to Rev. G. w. Nuzum
of this city, as follows.
Having just witnessed grand sight
here on orr target rounds off the Ches-
hpeake Capef, | a writing to you of
It SO that you can form faint idea of
the power of our guns and the superb
craftsmanship OF our gunners. This
ship has finished her practice and we
entirely sank our target and did very
good shooting, but today we re.towing
the target for two other ships to fire at.
Here is the way it - done this year,
for of course each year somebody gets
new idea, thus causing the target
practice to be materially different each
year. This year the department has
conceived the idea of using old torpedo
boats filled with bags of cork, TO be
used ss target for oar battle practice.
The battle practice of the feet differs
from that of the record practice in that
in that in record practice the guns fire
one at time, and u range is 900
yards, whereas III Dattie practice all the
guns on one side of the ship toward the
target, are fired simultaneously and at
Q. range of from 1000 to 1900 yards.
This battle target, the raft Of which is
a torpedo boat dismantled and having
masts upon which the canvas target is
stretched. is towed by another ship at
speed of six knots per hour in the
same direction as the ships firing are
steaming. The range is determined by
an instrument called a range finder,
which is placed aloft on the skeleton
mast, and from here the correct range
is communicated to each gun that is to
fired, by means of telephones which a
man wears on the head in almost the
same was that the ''hello girl" wears
hers. 1t is this mans duty TO set the
sights of the gun according to the range
sent down so as to insure more accur-
ate firing.
Now that is what we are doing today,
and the battleship Virginia" is firing.
This floating target is being towed as
tern Of us at distance of five hundred
yards, so we can see plainly all the
shots that are fired and where they
strike. /, just Gnisbed watching the
firing and, believe me, should not like
10 be where that target was, for it was
demolished and will soon sink. While
stood leaning over the rail, | saw six
broadsides fired from 6-ineh and 12-inch
guns, and saw the target tremble as
these shots took effect At the first
broadside the whole bow of the boat
was shot away and we could see the
bags of cork with which it was packed,
strewn about on the surface of the sea.
Sometimes the shots would strike with
in hundred yards of the target and
richochet from the water and tear end
over end Through the target, or else
soar high over the boat and fan harm
les5ly into the water. Many Of these
shells could be plainly seen as they
were going over and over in the air,
and they sound just like a freight loco
motive with heavy train behind it as
Il starts from station and gets under
headway, only Of course a shell already
has the headway and the sound recedes
just like the constant putting of train.
Othes shells strike squarely in the wa
ter, throwing up great geyser of wa
ter to great height. II was grand
spectacle and one that not many people
see-that is, outside of the service,
and even we do ios get such a close
view unless we are towing a target like
we are today. 81
Several guns on the ''Ohio" made al
most perfect scores and the 6-inch gun
on which i am shellmaD, made nine hits
out Of a possible twelve. Everybody is
well and have heard of no accidents
caused by taGget practice since we be-
gan. The drills have been somewhat
strenuous but it takes practice and con-
slant drill 10 gain efficiency and that is
what counts after all in actual battle.
am sure that the United States ships
need not fear those Of gnY great power
when it comes TO efficiency in marks
manship. -