New-York tribune., 1912-04-28

ject when fired, but 1t is believed that their
life is somewhere between 100 and ZpV
shots No one wishes to find out by expert
ence what their longevity Is. Therefore
no practice except at the prescribed times
may be done with the big guns. Even M
target practice they may be fired Only
eighten times through the entire practice
period ~ the end OF q couple OF years
thev are refined and in this way got a new
lease OF life
"Ping-pong" practice. as 1t is called, ana
sub-calibre practice have solved this am
Guilty Very small guns shooting tiny hui-
let's are attached 70 the big guns In 'front.'
Of these small guns swing targets whose
distance and motion can be regulator L"
correspond to the conditions under "hch
. the turrets guns are fired The aiming -
. done bv the movement OF the large guns
| but the firms Is done with tie tiny pistol
| Ike firearms IN this wav the manipula-
tion Of the guns in every respect Is Ike
that in target practice, except the actual
discharge Of heavy shells
The "pinr-pong" practice, AT first. was as
dangerous 10 the crews OF the battieships
| as were the Spanish war vessels AT Sahu-
ago. for stray bullets would pink the men
! now and then as they walked about 'he
decks. In order TO prevent any uhheces-
sary blood-letting dt is stated that no ono
! has been killed In these accidents) bHah
metal shields shaped like music RACKS were
devised and attached 10 the barrels OF 'h7
| Pinch guns I'm front Of the muzzles OF the
| ping pong guns I'm such way as 10
catch the bullets. Sub-calibre practice lo'-
! lows the requirement Of proficiency III
''ping-pong."
lnasmuch as II has been found possible
| in practice to load and fire the l2-incn guns
| three times a minute and to make almost
| the same proportion OF hits which the ar
tilleryman In the coast dcfences does. the
value OF the various forms Of preliminary
practice in preparation for the winning CT
the trophy has been clearly proved.
eve couldn't do what We do without
the 'ping-pong practice" said one officer
recently The record OF hit from each
gun on battleship. or ten hits altogether.
| in one minute has been MADE by at least
one American battleship.
II may be supposed that the time for tne
sprine battle practice has arrived. 1t Is
early April, and the battleships. with their
attending craft, are at the ranges. The
| Atlantic has a long, easy ron thdt uoe'
not seriously disturb the equilibrium Oh
the ponderous lighting machines forcing
their masterful way across the waves
Rainbows form In the spray thrown up
sparkling from the bows into the sunlight
and lacy foam on a blue ground ho"s
| backward in a spreading wake
Individual battle practice is to be the
order of the day. In the ofhng the TAR
gets thousands Of yards away. are
being towed along-white dots on the
horizon. The ships which arc to en-
gage in the practice clear for action
and the gunners are at their stauohs
| Clouds of black smoke pour from the run
ne,s indicating that the firemen are al
,be,r posts and performing their duty we'll
rrr IN the rectangular baskets. on tho tops
90 tho lattice masts the spoilers and their
.s,e,ants. each connected with the plotting
room, far below them and with the gun
.rovs by telephone. are scanning the hon-
30, with their glasses. They nave thelr
.ves on the targets. and are instincuVeiy
.s,,,pat,ne the distance. on the for"aru
,,,r,ot Is = tube supported horizontai'v on a
heavily built tripod. The lenses IN oither
end are directed upon the target Which 'S
the ship's particular mark. and seaman