Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-08-20
Most Interesting Work Of MaAoeu.
Vers Begins Under Ideal
Weather Conditions.
SPECIAL TARGET USED At NIGHT
Torpedo Boats Nicholson and o'Brien
lowed Through Hampton Roads on
Trial Spin Preparatory to Service
as Marks For Big Guns OF Fleet
Prize Money.

Under weather conditions which
were well nigh ideal for the work. the
Atlantic battleship fleet, under Rear
Admiral Schroeder. was engaged in
record stationary target practice yes
terday on the Southern drill grounds
thirty miles on the Virginia Capes.
For this work there are four ranges
with two targets for each range and
an additional target for night work
in which the ships are to engage
from this time on. The stationary
targets were especially constructed
for this work at the Norfolk navy
yard. They are stationed between
bucys with screen hoists aloft. The
object OF the gunners on shipboard
is TO pierce the screens with projec-
tiles at 500 yards, and other dis
tances.
Night Target Practice.
The night stationary target prac-
tice is particularly interesting. This
is carried on while the searchlights
from the firing ships play on the
ranges and thus furnishes light for
the gunnery aim. With this station
airy record work in progress. a num-
Der of chief ordnance craftsmen and
others from the ordnance plant at
Washington are distributed among tine
ships OF the feet. These are observ-
ing practically gunnery work and the
effect of the firing upon the ordnance
construction. Among the ordnance
officials with the feet are Lieutenant
Commander L. c. Palmer, inspector
of target practice; and Lieutenant II.
A. Pairide, of the formers Washing
ton office
The battle practice" with the tor
pedo boats Nicholson and O'Brien as
actual targets will not begin until the
stationary work has been completed.
which, it is said. may be a week or
ten days yet.
I Given Trial "Soin."
The torpedo boat O'Brien, with her
improvised masts. between which will
be stretched canvas for the battle
, target" work while the boats them
selves are being towed about the
drill grounds. had trial spin in
Hampton Roads yesterday. She
was tcwed about the Roads by tug.
The O'Brien and Nicholson are being
held in readiness at the Norfolk navy
yard when the wireless message from
the fleet calls them TO sea at the
time that the fleet gets ready to be-
gin the record practice
According TO gunners and seamen
from the feet. the battle practice
with the torpedo boats will be ex-
tremely interesting and the gunners
OF the feet are anxicusly waiting for
IL to begin. Each of the fifteen big
batrIeships of the feet will take turns
firing at the screens between the
masts OF the torpedo !'oats. The bat
tieships will move at a speed of about
ten knots when firing at the targets
and the torpedo boats will be towed
across the drill grounds by tugs.
Use Bis Guns.
. The battleships viii use the r.
inch. s-inch. finch and s-inch rifles
in shooting al the target The ship
making the greatest number OF hits
with all classes Of guns in the aliot-
cd time for each ship will receive
large sums in prize money to be d.
vided between the gunners ana gun
crews. This is. OF course. a big in
censive for the men. And then there
Il the natural pride which the men
take in making records at the target
practice.
The record practice is to continue
nearly a month and the big battle
ships will be in molten all the time.
those that are not firing are steam
ing around cut OF range Of the firing
shot. Night practice also will be
held. the firing ship using her search
lights 20 light up the targets for the
gunners.
BattIeships in Roads.
The battleship New Hampsh hire.
which came into the Roads Wednes-
day night. was Joined yesterday by
the Idaho and Mississippi The YES
sells are az anchor CT Old Point ad-
justing their gunsights preparatory
to beginning the stationary range
work
Yesterday the wind on the drill
grounds was blowing ten niles from
the north. With q lighter sea than
that of Wednesday.