American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1912-09-26

sembled In the still waters Of
Cape Cod Bay for target prac.
uce. and incidentally to enter.
tain the summer visitors at the Cape
villages Of the north shore from Prov.
1noetown ~ far a. Dennis. On the re-
osdving days, when the oficers and
men ara ready to play hosts to the
civilian population, there are scores
OF launches and pleasure craft plying
between the f1eet and the shore land-
ings, carrying loads Of excursionists,
to whom = peep at the inside workings
OF these war engines IL a great event
T~raditionally sailors and ofncers are
courteous. and they seem very glad to
conduct the visitors about and answer
the unendins questions.
When there 10 to b target practice
the great 0est steams slowly out q
Provincetown Harbor early in the day
Ind steers across toward the Dennis
shore. = distance Of about fifteen o.
twenty miles, and falls into line for.
nation. preparatory to IL days work.
Meanwhile tie targets q which the
~batt1ssh1ps ars 70 aim aro being q.
r~nged Oh shore, about i've miles at
~. One Of the reasons why TIE Hsst
gathsrs here In this way 10 because
there II very little tyafdo of nshins
vessels o. steamers 10 interfere with
ehs praetcs. and the watchess. smn-
ains The seward honson WITH. their
powerful glasses in search q such
passing craft seldom have 70 DIV,
warning.
A. essn From Shore.
The men behind the big guns on the
ships. hve miles away. have to live up
the navy's traditional marfsman-
ship If they arc to hit the rolling can-
vas targets, no more than twenty-five
ieet square. This practice cannot be
carried on IN rough water, and It ID
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 perhans
two or three miles Of the b~attleshin
1rst sees q sharp burst of smoke is-
from the ship. An instant later.
any report is heard, is seer the
spray shooting high in the air where
he shot has struck the water far ont
n the bay. Then comes the roar of
he gun. which rings long and loud for
'everal seconds. r~everberating like
leavy thunder. In fact, when the
heaviest guns are being used, the
houses on he cape tremble and win
rattle for some time after the
'harge Is fired. A few years ago the
zig guns were fired frequently with
charges and windows along the
'hores at Denlis were often broken bv
he jar. The heavy gun firing a be
'asily heard oil over the cape and the
felt In buildings as we'll. II ia
elated that an accidental discharre
4 q u pointing shoreward once sent
shell In the direction Of East Den.
10 1t struck an empty house, which.
4aturally. was entirely demolished.
In all the practice here-and the
Quadron has assembled In the Massa.
husetts waters for several years-no
eports Of any damage done BY stray
hots beyond the targets have bean
card, though there is considerable
raf1c on some days between Boston
nd P~rovincetown. The sxcurrion
eeamer Dorothy Bradford phys b.
these points twice daily. and
'ould be In a direct line Of IRE. The
hips have made some remarkable req
for accurate shooting whiIe At
arset practice at this rendezvous.
Night Attacks.
Another feature of the war s.ms.
!, the bay 10 the night attacks. when
attacking feet tries to get within
ring distance Of the defensive SQUAD. !
On. 1t Is not very often, however
lat the attacking fleet Of destrovers
lcceeds in creeping undiscovered
thin an unsafe" distance. Most Of
le work OF this sort is done at night.
hen the powerful searchlights of the
raft are in play. making a free spec.
lcle for the people on shore. The
reat lights fash back and forth
cross the sky, and give the Cane Cod
ssidents a thrilling imitation Of what