The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1912-06-15

shining black muzzles out of the turrets of the
dreadnoughts, will stand the pressure to which
they are subject when fired but it is believed that
their life is somewhere between 100 and 200 shots
No one wishes to find out by experience what
tnelr longevity is. Therefore, practice except
at the prescribed times may be done with the
Dig guns. Even at target practice they may be
fired only eighteen times through the entire nrac.
lice period. At the end of couple of years they
are refined, and in this way get a new lease of
life.
"Pingpong' practice, as it is called and sub
callber practice have solved this difficulty Very
small guns shooting tiny bullets are attached to
the big guns. In front of these small guns swing
targets whose distance and motion can ho ropn
lated to correspond to the conditions under which
the turrets guns are fired. The aiming is done
by the movement of the large guns but the firing
is done with the tiny, pistollike firearms In this
way the manipulation of the guns in every respect
is like that in target practice, except the actual
discharge of heavy shells.
1t may be supposed that the time for spring battle
practice has arrived 1t Is early April and the bat
tleshps with their attending craftare at the ranges
Inc Atlantic has a long, easy roll that does not
seriously disturb the equilibrium of the ponderous
lighting machines forcing their masterful way
across the waves. Ranbows form in the spray
thrown up sparkling from the bows into the sun
nght and lacy foam on blue ground flows back
ward into spreading wake.
Individual battle practice is to be the order of
yards away, are being lowed along-white dots
on the horizon The ships which are to engage
In the practice clear for action and the gunners
are at their stations. Clouds of black smoke pour
from the tunnels indicating that the fremen are
at their posts and performing their duty we'll Up
IN the rectangular baskets on the tops of the lat
tce masts, the spoilers and their assistants each
connected with the plotting room far below them
ana with the gun crews by telephone, are scan
ming the horizon with their glasses. They have
their eyes on the targets, and instincvely es.
t1mat1ng the distance. On the forward turret is q
tube supported horizontally on heavily built tri-
pod. The lenses in either end are directed upon
the target which Is the ships particular mark and
seaman Is focusing the two images reflected to
him at the center of the tube. The two coincide,
and he reads OF the figures shown on the scales
The range of the distant object thus obtained, is
telephoned down to the plotting room This opera
ton the range finder performs from time to time
noting the changes in the distances thus recorded
Below, in the plotting room the brain-case of
the vessel in battle the nerve center men are
busy recording the messages that come to them
over the electric nerves of the great organism and
co-ordinating the information. Protected by armor
plate and out of sight of friend or foe this bureau
OF information, this multiple motor CENTER directs
the fighting forces of the great machine undis-
turbed by accidental sights and sounds. Messages
are received at regular intervals from the range
hnders The rate of change in range is noted and
piece OF clockwork, invented for the purpose, is
set going It will plot and indicate the changes Of
the distance of the target at regular intervals of
time Everything Is In readiness to begin firing.
In the turrets the trainers and pointers are on
edge awaiting the word to fire. In each is the
trainer with his hands levers guiding its move
ment and the guns within, his eye glued to the
eyepiece of the sighting telescope He constantly
strives to keep his guns upon the target horizont
ally. At the side of the breaches of the guns