Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26
Results of Gun Practice.

The scientific methods in gunnery re-
suiting from the competition inaugulated
some ten years ago were so astonishing.
and at the same time gratifying. that
discussion arose as to the possibility OF
applying the principles of competition tC
engineering OH board ship.
While at the time engineering condi.
'tions were not generally deemed unSatis-
Factory, IL WAS, nevertheless. recognized
some cases. Leaking joints. faulty ad
justnents of machinery, ETC., resulted in
loss of economy, and were otherwise OBJ
jectionable. While the regulations re-
CURED periodic tests and full power trials
of machinery. these We're not always con
Quoted in d uniform way. were sometimes
perfunctory, and the results Of these tests
We're not as carefully d.gested as was
deemed necessary. The necessity fol
scientific firing had not been clearly pre-
scented. Widely different performances
We're obtained by vessels Of the same
class, carrying out similar duties. Moth
ing existed to directly stimulate and te
encourage a general watchfulness. a re-
gard for small details, and to promote eff
ficiency and economy of upkeep of the
engineering departments on hoard ship.
The Importance which the recently
established competitions had given tC
gunncry reacted somewhat and the en-
gneering. department seemed to be put
farther below decks and away from the
ken of men that had even been the
case before, and which, of course, was
exceedingly undesirable
The knowledge of motive power of the
ship is AS essential OF the part OF al
officers today as ii was formerly, wheI
sails and not engines constituted the
means for locomotion.
In Rio de Janei-o in January. 1908. the
commander-in-chief of the United State.
n Hanf tho IfSvvYy sat.
ing the competition In engineering for the
battleships and destroyers composing thu
fleet at that time making the voyagt
to the Pacific. The competition included
the development of maximum speed un
der forced and natural draft, and econ
ony of coal and oil under those ane
under ordinary cruising conditions
BreakdoWns were penaliZed. and watel
when received from an outside source
was charged against the ship receiving it
Economy the Result.
This competition ended upon the ar
rival of the fleet at Magdalena bay
Lower California. The distance steamed
was S,210.5 knots, and II was estimated
that total net increase In econom.
of 1,46O tons of coal was realized" di
rectly due to improvements in methods
Before leaving San Francisco the com
petition was again established, which Wa
TO continue from the departure from tn
port until the arrival at Manila. In thu
run from Honolulu to Auckland the say
ing OF coal was So remarkable as I,
cause the coDlmander-in-chief to Issue
special order regarding it. 1t wa
estimated that .,1SJ tons had been savet
on this run.
Taking the performances on the voyag
from Rio to Magdalena bay as stand
ard, II was estimated that 2.42j tom
of coal were saved on the run from
San Francisco TO Manila bay. On thu
same basis 1t was also ascertained tina
over 5000 gallons OF lubricating oil wa
saved. Two vessels more than double,
their cruising radii as far as oil wa
concerned
Despite the unfavorabie weather en-
countered on the voyage across the AT
lant-c when homeward bound, and TIL
long time which had elapsed Since tn
.ast docking of the ships the saving II
fuel compared with the trip from Hamp
ton roads TO Rio on the outward voy
age amounted to over % per cent. Tn
results obta ned on this cruise sufficient
ly demonstrated the advantages Of com
petitive methods. and In June, 1909.
general order from the Navy Depart
| ment established the engineering compe
titions as permanent feature In tn
operation of vessels.
I'm accordance with this order vessel
were separated into different classes a
follows: Battleships torpedo and sub
! marine The rules We're laid down to in
sure far competition, i'm so far as prac
t.cable, taxing into consideration tn
widely different conditions of employ
ment, variations in the quality of fuel
etc.
standards Iaro Ee<o l,ljsuen