The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-10-21
COMMANDER CRAVEN TELLS OF
THE NAVY TARGET PRACTICE

tweive-inch guns, making six shots
and six hits in hny-seven SECONDS
Such accurate hitting is one or our
creates assets in insuring peace. II
| seems that the feet is efficient INC
ready.
How many men Of the business
| world who are making fortunes only
on cOu OF continued peace, ever
stop to think Of the factors which in
sure this peace? A large mi who
do not think or understand, know but
little OF the navy-they consider naval
officers and men as yachtsmen. with
no real business in life: they speak Of
'perfumed officers n comic opera
sailors How the yes Of some OF
these gentlemen would be opened IT
they could spend a few days during
target practice on board a firing ship.
1.-THE ship is about to start, firing;
general quarters has sounded, and
all hands have gone to their stations
on the run. Three minutes before
coming on the range a bugler sounds
a warning call. Word is passed by
the fire control officer to the gun crews
to stand by. This is the time when
officers and men learn one anOther'S
real character. Any sign Of nervous
ness on h part of the officer would
be instantly transmitted to the guns
crew.
Glass Distinction Impossible.
I'm a modern twelve-inch turret,
where twenty or more men are bat
tened in behind fourteen inches Of ar
NOR, there is no place for class dis
tinction. A stranger would not be
able to distinguish officers from any
other member OF a guns crew; they
are all dressed by very much the same.
But let the turret officer give an or
der, the rapidity with which it is ex-
ecuted shows that a gulf between Off
GERS and ~bluejackets is not necessary
for efficiency. Every officer under
stands that he must know more about
his turret h any other person in it;
he attains efficiency by inspiring conf
dence. Any member Of a guns crew
will tell you that the time between
coming On the range and three OF
four minutes later, when commence
firing is given, is the hardest part
of the whole game. During that time
; bracing months. is rapidly reviewed
A thousand things car be thought o.
which might have been done, although
: a few minutes before there seemed t
: be nothing which had not been accom-
plished to fOresee accidents and to in
: sure hits.
{ when the target is on the prope
OcdIAIS dIlU az tuc required OlSlaUC
: the whistle blows and the fire contro
I officer gives the order to 'commenc
: firing The turret officer repeats tn
order and the game is o n From nov
until the last shot Of the allowance
e has been fired, the whole spectacle is
y blur Of human autOmatons, movin
without excitement, without confusion
each nan a part Of the team. strivin
with all that is in him to better pre-
- 1 ViA1IC P0OOrdC hv oun ~ &ffh "
second. Each shell has been given
pet name, sometimes it's nose is adorn
ed with human eyes, drawn in chall
Il The last operation Of loading the she
a in one turret was for one of the ere,
te to expectOrate on the shell just as
went into the gun. Nearly ever
pointer wears a rabbits foot aroun
IN his neck as a 'boodoo preventer.'
as Only q Brief Lull.
Is THE first she'll is loaded. There
oI a lull for an instant until the frin
y signal is given. The pointer lays tt
sights on the target. 1t has bee
drilled into him for weeks not to fiji
unless he is ON the bulIs-eye. Tt
n. firing signal sounds, the point,
presses the firing key and pete
"a Tom is on his a to the large
en- When the u goes off the air smit
Il you. the blast rattles your brains, ar
IL a novice you 1ccl as tnOOSn son
as one had given you a punch in the sol;
ef pleXuS. Before you have had a chan
uh properly to revive you find yourse
interestedly watching the determin,
n. faces n straining muscles of al
OF and shoulder as the crew rush Il
On next load. The gun recoils about ty
n and n half feet before returning
sc normal position. The plusman ope
the plug and, looking in the gun. y,
Ell | SEQ violet HomaC N1IrlinO nro,,nd +
NJ rifing until the compressed air, Wi
a kissing noise, cleans out the boz
pushing a cylinder Of flame before
\ Before you cease maryeling at IN
ere the next oad has been rammed hon
Try the plug closed. the pointer tickleS I
toe Of his rabbits foot and another s
MY pounds of steel is on its way iowa
Ter the patch Of slate-colored canv
iry looming up against the horizon.
WIS In the meantime. on deck outsi
of the turret every one from the pa
master and marine officer to the shi.