Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-23

the proper correction to an inch. The
gunnery officer, feeling his responsibility,
has called the pointers aft. giving
them fatherly advice, and telling them
that for the sake Of their sins and the
glory of the ship not to fire unless "on."
Everybody Is ready for tomorrow; every
one has the real dope.
Between the wheeling photograph, the
blare of the band outside, in one corner
singing. in another heavy arguments,
there is no soft pedal on the wardroom.
New visitors, army people, are here, won
dering at their new surroundings, bow
legged in khaki; umpires from other
ships. with dungarees and the makes
plus a toothbrush for baggage, are
sprawling on the sofas over their book of
rules.
Il
Dignif1ed members of the brain trust
fresh from Washington, here to see how
the gear works; observers from other
ships. and officers serving on the beach,
SO eager to learn the latest that they
have paid their own travel. are all on
hand for the technique of the game, but
the chief engineer strides up and down.
mumbling something about the bridge
not giving him proper notice to get on
the way las all of his ilk). The inspector
Of target practice-director il YOU please
the real king of the show, has arrived in
a destroyer dubbed the royal yacht,
and now anchored astern; her skipper has
just blown in, and his number has been
made" in the payma ster's room.
Outside the wind howls. a searchlight
sweeps the horizon looking for a drifting
target and the flagship blinkS her signal
lamps necessarily, her signal boys are
sending to the squadron the days press
news pinched from some liners wireless
this to keep them in practice and proper
form.
Now a word about the training. In the
first place. the man who shoots the big
gun is gun pointer, not a gunner. as
he is sometimes called-a gunner being
a non-comnhssioned officer. Gun pointers
are made, not born, and any youngSter
who grew up with the base ball bat and
whose eyes are good and mind alert can
be trained to hit the target. Our point
ers are not sailorrnen. That bewhiskered
and picturesque species is no more in the
navy; but skilled artisans, fighting enet-
neers with a small smack of sea going
and a working knowledge Of electricity
and gun gear.
Hence we will not have to worry about
a second reserve for the next war. The
reserrist will come, not from the sea-
ports, but from Pittsburg and Schenec-
tady. from the shops of the great electric
those chaps into shape as first-class
pointers. -.. -'..
The gun pointers preliminary training
does not cost a cent In powder and she'll.
Instead simple device called the dotter.
which Stimulates a moving target. on
which the pointer trains his telescope is
now employed. For the purposes of quail
ihcation the pointers obtain their certit-
Gates during the elementary practice fir
ing individually at moving targets, but
not at battle distance.
Modern target practice is q game of
computation. BY appealing to the sport
ing blood of the bluejackets 1t was
raised from its archaic past. and the men
go in training with the same enthusiasm
If on q college team. But this ele-
mentary affair is not all matter OF glory,
but also Of cash. Extra pay is given to
all pointers who qualify: there are money
prizes for the best gun crew. and the dis
tinction OF carrying the navy e trnean-
ing eXcelienO as well as trophies for
the winning ships of each class. But
the most coveted prize and Independent
of all others is the battle efficiency pen
nant, won by the ship standing highest
in battle practice and in the engineering
competition.
Responsibility for success In battle prac-