Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-09-26

n VERY summer ships Of the
- North Atlantic squadron are as
sembled in the still waters OF
~ Cape Cod Bay for target prac-
tice, and incidentally to enter
tain the summer visitors at the Cape
villages Of the north shore from Prov
tnCetown as far as Dennis. On the re-
ceiving days, when the officers and
men are ready to play hosts to the
civilian population, there are scores
Of launches and pleasure craft plying
between the feet and the shore land
!ngs, carrying loads Of excursionists,
to whom a peep at the inside workings
Of these war engines Is a great event
Traditionally sailors and officers are
courteous. and they seem very glad to
conduct the visitors about and answer
the unending questions.
When there is to he target practice
The great fleet steams slowly out Of
Provincetown Harbor early in the day
and steers across toward the Dennis
shore, a distance of about fifteen or
twenty miles, and falls into line for
nation preparatory to the days work.
Meanwhile the targets at which the
battleships are to aim are being ar
ranged off shore, about five miles at
sea. One Of the reasons why the fleet
gathers here In this way Is because
there Is very little traffic Of fishing
vessels or steamers to interfere with
the practice, and the watchers, scam
ming the seaward horizon with their
powerful glasses In search OF such
passing craft, seldom have to give
warning.
As Seen From Shore.
The men behind the big guns on the
ships, five miles away, have to live up
to the navy's traditional marksman-
ship If they are to hit the rolling can
vas targets, no more than twenty Ave
feet square. This practice cannot be
carried on In rough water, and II Is
the smooth water Of Cape Cod Bay
that brings the warships here for big
gun practice.
The spectator on shore. who at
North Dennis may be within perhaps
two or three miles Of the battleship,
first sees a sharp burst Of smoke is
sue from the ship. An instant later,
before any report is heard, is seen the
spray shooting high In the air where
the shot has struck the water far out
In the bay. Then comes the roar of
the gun, which rings long and loud for
several seconds, reverberating like
heavy thunder. In fact, when the
heaviest guns are being used the
houses on the cape tremble and win
dows rattle for some time after the
charge Is fired. A few years ago the
big guns were fired frequently with
heavy charges and windows along the
shores at Dennis were often broken by
the Jar. The heavy gun firing can be
Jar felt in buildings as we'll. 1t Is
related that an accidental discharge
of gun pointing shoreward once sent
a shell in the direction Of East Den.
mis- 1t struck an empty house, which,
naturally, was entirely demolished.
In all the practice here-and the
squadron has assembled In the Massa-
chusetts waters for several years-no
reports OF any damage done by stray
shots beyond the targets have been
heard, though there Is considerable
traffic on some days between Boston
and Provincetown. The excursion
steamer Dorothy Bradford phys be-
tween these points twice daily, and
would be in a direct line of fire. The
ships have made some remarkable rec
ords for accurate shooting while at
target practice at this rendezvous.
Night Attacks.
Another feature of the war game
In the bay is the night attacks, when
the attacking fleet tries to get within
firing distance Of the defensive squad
ron. 1t is not very often, however,
that the attacking feet of destroyers
succeeds in creeping undiscovered
within an unsafe" distance. Most Of
the work of this sort is done at night
Then the powerful searchlights of the
craft are in play, making a free spec
tacle for the people on shore. The
great lights fash back and forth
across the sky and give the Cape God
residents thrilling imitation Of what