The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-05-30
CARRY GUNS OVER
THE WAIANAE GAP

ANt NNAIN AuAtN INAftNH ING
march will be made the subject Of
special report from the battery com
mander, Captain Faulkner, and win
reach gadier-Genernl Macomb, the
district commander, in few days and
will then be forwarded 70 Washington.
Preparing the Defenses,
The great 12-inch rifes of Fort Ka-
mehameha at Pearl Harbor have been
tested and found 10 be in readiness for
actual service. The battery of eight
mortars at Fort Ruger have also been
tested and found TO be accurate in their
frings, so that practically the extreme
ends of the fortified portion of the lee
ward shore of Oahu may be considered
in condition to be defended. Infan-
try have marched along the highways
from Honolulu to Leilehua and the
cavalry have marched over the same
route.
Infantry and engineers have trav-
ersed the island and made the circuit,
even going around the almost unused
trails around the Koko Head end of,
the island. Mountain trails have been
travelled and new ones cut through,
while one company of soldiers made a
spectacular hike across the Koolau
range, going down a trail which at
times seemed to lead only to palis
1t remained for the field artillery to
demonstrate what it could do under ad-
verse conditions, where roads were only
to be found on paper and trails had to
be widened by the energetic battery
men. Captain Faulkner was directed
to take his guns and ammunition cais-
sons across the Waianae Gap, which is
the V-shaped depression in the range
Immediately back of Sehofield Bar
racks.
For years it was merely bride
trail from Leilehua to and over the
gap to the Waianae plains. A year ago
an army wagon was successfully taken
over the gap, Field guns can be taken
over trails which would be impossible
to an army wagon, for field gun can
be taken to pieces. broken into two
parts, etc., while a wagon must be kept
intact.
Carriages Broken apart.
On Thursday morning the battery
left Sehofield Barracks. each gun be-
ing drawn by six horses. After reach
ing the gap the lead and swing teams
were taken ont and led down the other
SIDE of the pail, while only the wheel
horses were kept harnessed to the gun
carriages. The wheels were blocked
and the work of getting the pieces
down was started. 1t was easier than
anticipated, although at one or two
places the carriages had to be broken
and even the wheel horses separated
from the pieces. Without mishap the
guns were finally brought to the level
plains and entered upon the road
The battery was then taken on
through the Waianae plantation, and
between Waianae and Eva the guns
were unlimbered and target practice
INDUCED in. Acting under orders the
battery commander then directed the
battery to be taken down past Sisal to
the shore. After leaving the main
road the batterymeS mad to make
roads, fill in depressions in the coral
outcropping, which gives only dan
gerous footing for the horses as the
coral surface is as hard as flint
A Masked Battery.
The guns were first brought to a To-
cation where they were numbered be-
hind grove of trees. 1t was masked
battery to all intents and purposes.
No one from the shore or the sea could
get glimpse of guns, horses or men,
and the latter could not even see the
shore or sea. Observations were made
and the guns trained so that the shells
would carry over the tree tops. The fiT-
ing was accurate and satisfactory.
Afterward the gans were brought
out into the opening closer to the shore
and firing directed at targets floating
in the water. The targets were made to
represent boats of hostile force at.
tempting to effect landing. On what
has been considered from military
standpoint a vulnerable part of the
shore line. According to military
authorities, the battery could easily
have repulsed such an attempted land
ing and could sweep a good-sized sec.
| tioh of the sea front.
This beach is considerably to Waialu
award of Pearl Harbor and so far il
unprotected. General Murray, as CHIEF
of artillery, recommended two or three
years ago that this part of the shore
line should he included in the chain OF
forts being established along windward
Oahu.
"Jackass Battery" Succeeds.
A couple of weeks ago the machine
guns were also taken over the Waiana.
range, being sent through smalle
gap considerably further down toward
the Eva district The guns were talSel
apart and sections strapped to tn,
backs of males. The passage was eff
fected safely and the guns arrived il
good condition, although a couple O
mules rolled down goodly portion o.
the pail, but turned up right-side,ul
without sustaining any damage Will
the gun parts were found to be o. K.
Captain Faulkner, who commando,
the battery during its passage of tn
Gap, leaves for the mainland on th
transport Sherman next week
I