The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1911-06-08
n X Y

AMH thnt had been SHOOTING nj
WW targets on the Virginia
I" capCs steamed majesticai
b. up New York harbor re-.
Gently. the Michigan brought back the
trophy for the year. Her gunners had
broken every record. The American
navy IL pre-eminent on all the i've
oceans for lis unerring marksmnnship,
but the Mlchigan's guns and the men
behind them now stand nj the head OF
the roll OF fame for accuracy and dead.
ly skill. In the battle practice the
Michigan made ~ hits out Of 20 shots
Hor gunners made four bullseyea sim.
ultaneously ai 1900 yards, q feat that
is unique In the annals OF naval gun.
merry.
To fully understand what II means
20 make four bullseyes at this distance
OF six nautical miles the reader should
consider these facts: A target rises
above the sea less than the height OF n
three-story house. and IL just about as
long as a city dwelling Of this sort.
Only the center OF the target-the big
round spot Of canvas sewed 10 the net.
ting between the supporting masts-
can be seen even through a good glass.
All that the naked eye can distinguish
nj a distance OF six miles is just q
tiny. blurry speck on the horizon.
II would be counted good shooting
on solid ground TO hit a speck like
that far away. hut when the Michigan
knocked the targets 10 pieces she was
driving through the sea at the rate OF
a mile In four minutes. There was a
heavy swell on out In the blue water
/ ara she rolled and pitched 20 that aim
ing the great guns was as difficult as
shooting sparrowB with n revolver
/ from the back OF 4 bucking horse.
| Though the Michigan smashed all gun.
| merry records that ever were made the
other big men-Of.war were not far be-
hind. Taking them collectively. there
| never was such an aggregation OF levi.
] Rthan sharpshOoters sailing under any
nations nag
That was the spectacular part OF the
battle practice. What precedes Il and
leads up 60 the tremendous climax OF
n broadside OF i2-Inch guns is no less
| interesting. In the hazy and liquid
I gold OF dawn the bugle sounds TO gen
eral quarters" In a twinkllns the
, great steel fortress 10 stripped for bat.
tie. Everything movable or likely TO
be torn away by the tremendous cen.
eusslon OF the huge guns Is slowed be-
low decks. Then the men are lined up
/ and inspected. Every one OF them
must have had a fresh bath and be
| dressed in clean clothing--theRe are
the new antiseptic rules TO discount
accident
Then the alarm sounds It's deep. toe
slnlike strokes: the spoilers and the
telephone force clap on their leather
beadgear. like that worn In football
| games. and shin up 10 the foretop
through the funnel smoke. Up there
the conclusion 10 the worst. The sail
ors wear celluloid ear protectors that
30 inside the ear and are almost in.
visible. Then. as the big ship gathers
momentum with every second. come
the instructions 10 man the starboard
batteries and the information that SIX
salyos are 10 be fired. 40 seconds
apart. The targets have to be picked
up blindly. for the ship Is playing at
grim war.
The plain red pennAnt. the signal
for Commence Airing" hangs like n
stain from the yards. Then comes the
loading signal from the ordnance ON.
GER: the stand by" bells sound their
shrill peals. The spoilers stand rigid,
staring through the soft rubber eye
pieces OF their binoculars. waiting the
announcement OF the final range and
detection.
Slowly. far below. the moving tur-
reis begin 20 nose upward their guns
like intelligent creatures. The big
fo'castle deck is an empty, slim. aat
clgar-shaped finger. There IL hoarse
hiss OF the air blasts clearing the
bores. Then--"FiTel"
The shock Of the broadslde tears
into ribbons the bridge screen; Il sbs.-
ters the fOurineh-thick glass IN the
portfolios. II is like the explosion Of
a powder magazine. Complete unison
In brOadside is impossible, however,
with each airing key In n separate
hand. and the burners allowing four
seconds In which 10 press them.
Therefore tho shock might have been
verse. In tho dead seconds between
the aalvos the eye follows the travel
ing shells. seemingly endless mo-
menta, until they bloom out IN a gar.
Den of mighty goynoFu of foam afoun6
TIE targets. There h brrst o. lhroaly
cheera from hare and there belmesn