The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-15

The state department, to the mind
of the general public, is drearysome
place, overlooking with formality, stiff
necks and silent as a church yard.
Generally speaking this conception is
correct. but at present there is some
person of friyilous mind connected
with the department, who leans too
much to the human side of life to
make the possessor valuable adjunct
to the solemn state department staff.
A formal inquiry is being conduct
ed to discover the identity of this
frivolous person. The cause of the
agitation is the finding on a blotter on
the desk that stands at the entrance
of the room of Huntington Wilson. as
sistant secretary of state, the follow
ing verse:
"Our eyes have met.
Our lips, not yet.
But Oh YOU kid.
I'll get you yet
The development of the efficiency
of the naval reserves. or militia OF the
several states, is subject to which
deep thought is now being given by
Secretary Meyer of the navy. Efforts
are being made to secure needed leg
islation to promote naval militia eff
cheney Commander G. C. Marsh, SON.
in-law of Rear Admiral Evans, retired
has immediate charge of the state ma
| val sailors.
Like Director of the Consular Ser
vice Carr. Commander Marsh is fire.
cif h->
quarters of the various naval batal-
lions and by hustling and lecturing,
stirring up sentiment and enthusiasm
for the service. Both men, it is said
i have adopted the successful methods
pursued by John Barrett when he took
charge of the bureau Of American re-
publics. No place on the map is too
far away nor are personal conditions
considered when either get an oppor-
tunity to discourse on their hobbies.
Calculations made roughly show
that the Atlantic battleship fleet made
splendid records in the elementary
! target practice recently completed off
the Virginia Capes. The Idaho, with
a final score of more than fifty leads
the fleet An idea of the excellence
of the Score may be gained when it is
remembered that the U. S. S. Mary
| land, lader of the Pacific fleet made
a final score of SO under the same
conditions. This indicates that the
| Atlantic fleet once more has scored
, victory over the Pacific fleet in
| target practice.
The practice this year was under
new rules which made 1t more diff
cult than ever before. Instead of fir
ing at a stationary target in smooth,
or land locked water, the vessels fired
at moving target in the open sea.
Several remarkable records were made.
The battleship Louisiana which last
year broke the worlds record with one
of her - inch turrets, equalled her
score on one of her uns at this prac-
tice. One turret firing eight shots at
the running target, made eight hits.
Another turret, firing eight shots also
made eight hits. On the second rum
however the gunnery crews were so
anxious to excel this record that they
fired too fast and spoiled what other
wise would have been a generally ex-
cvellent score.
The night firing especially was spec
tacular. Only the smaller guns were
used at the night fire, the object Of the
practice being to protect battle-ship
against torpedo attacks. The ships
steamed out into the black sea the
commanders knowing that three or
more targets were hidden somewhere.
BY the aid of the searchlights these
targets were picked up adm the three
inch guns Immediately marked them
as their prey.
The scores are calculated to the
time it takes ship to put the targets
out of commission. Should even one
target be overlooked by the ships
commander it is regarded as very
grievous mistake and counts heavily