New-York tribune., 1911-03-20
TO TRY ,NAW'S BIG GUNS
The Old Texas To Be Battered
by 12-InCh Shells.
TESTS AT BATTLE RANGE
Primary Purpose to Determine
the Accuracy of System of
"Spotting."

Washington. March I9.-Secretary Meyer
with a few official guests. left Washington
on the Dolphin tonight for Tangier Sound
I'm Chesapeake Bay TO witness an attack
unon the battleship San Marcos formerly
the United States ship Texas by the big
Finch rifles OF the battleship New Hamp-
shire. with the Secretary was Senator
Clapp. of Minnesota. and Representatives
Roberts. Of Massachusetts,; Loud, OF Mich
igan, and Gregg. of Texas; Admiral VAIN
wright. chief of operations and Commander
Andrews. the Secreisrys naval aid.
The torpedo boat Stringham. with party
OF naval officers and newspaper men, Hdu
preceded the Secgetary's party down the
river. Other spectators of the test VIII DC
a number Of ordnance experts OF the army
headed by General Croz!er. who VIII board
the DESTROYER Mccall at Fort Monroe Non
DAY morning
This attack on the san Marcos is expect
cd 70 nrove one Of the most instructive ana
valuable experiments ever conducted by the
American navy Similar firing tests nave
been made abroad, the last of Importance
being the attack by a part Of the British
Channel feet on the famous old lronclad
Hero. Little Is known OF the technlcai
value concerning these European expert
ments because of the precautions which
were adopted 10 insure secrecy. Therefore
Secretary Meyer acceded 10 the recommen-
dation of the Naval General Board that the
San Marcos be used as a target, the ship
having become obsolete In type, yet carry .
ing enough armor to afford a basis for
judgment as to what might be expected TO
follow an attack on a modern battleship
The San Marcos tests are expected 70 oc-
cupy three days, beginning late Monday
afternoon, and all OF the vessels or Ad-
miral Schroedcr's great Atlantic fleet viii
be gathered In Tangier Sound TO observe
the test. The test will begin with an at
tack at a range Of 500 yards by the New
hampshire on the San Marcos, the primary
purpose being TO test the accuracy or tho
present naval system Of 'spotting.' Ihls
means the method Of determining the pre-
else spot where every proiectile touches
the target or the water. Heretofore this
this has been largely n matter of theory.
owing 10 the fact that such observations
as could be made were necessarily taken
from the vessel firing the projectiles, or one
3
tests. the target ship Will bc boarded at
frequent intervals during the firing and the
precise effect can he ascertained beyond
question
Another interesting feature Of the expert
ment VIII be the use OF armor piercing
shells with delayed action" fuses. which
will be so timed as to explode the shells
after they have penetrated the armor and
are within the hull or the turret.
1t is quite possible that the San Marcos
will be sunk by some shot striking at or
below the waterllne. though the attempt
will he made 10 avoid this.
Tangier Sound has been selected with
that contingency in view, the water being
shallow enough 20 permit wrecking oper-
ations for raising the ship.
The San Marcos. which has been re-
earded as a "hoodoo" in the navy for
many years, has been entirely outstripped
by the later warships and is quite obsolete
from the present day point OF view Of
naval efficiency. Her displacement is g.
80 tons ana her trial speed was but rs
knots. Her arament consisted mostly Of
small calbre guns.