The Raymer enterprise., 1913-08-14


spares the rod nor spoils the
~ child. He has many pupils.
those who enter his service
In the government departments and
the army and the navy. His course
of training in the navy Is rather SO
we're. for he requires every man who
enlists for service under the Stars
and Stripes on sea to become skilled
artisan. Probably the most interest.
Ing Of all OF Uncle Sans trade schools
IL the school for seaman gunners. at
the navy yard In Washington. 1t Is
here that the men who aim and fire
the great guns learn their principle
and mechanism so thoroughly that the
efficiency OF tho United States navy
is unequaled by any navy In the
world.
There are more than l25 men In the
seaman gunners class at the present
time. enrolled for six months OF the
hardest kind OF study In the shops
and In the classroom. Every one Of
these men Is picked. and In the serv-
ice It is considered a great honor to
be chosen TO Join the class. Only
men who have been In the service
four years are eligible. and then only
when their conduct and service record
are exceptionally good. Graduates OF
the school are the backbone OF the
navy. Here the men are taught the
only really distinctive naval trade. and
1t Is here that the men who load. train
and fire the immense guns are made.
Requires Much Study.
They learn the making OF the large
and small guns They learn by prac-
teal experience how to take them
down and assemble them again. The
breech mechanism. everything to do
with the practical part OF ordnance.
the manufacture OF shells. fuses and
powder and torpedoes all require
thorough and extensive study. The
work Is equally divided between the
naval gun factory shops and the class.
room, where they have instruction at
the hands OF skilled ordnance experts
and special Instructors. In addition
to the ordnance course they are re-
quired to become proficient In the sci.
ence OF metallography and skilled In
the manufacture and principle Of the
storage battery.
Work on the big guns start from the
raw casting. This huge. 75.ton cylin.
der OF steel Ia bored out. trimmed and
.Erooved. The casing. another huge
cylinder OF steel. Is bored out, heated
white hot and shrunk onto the grooy.
ed lining. The manufacture OF this
part OF the monster l4.inch rides takes
about four weeks.
Then the gunnery force enters the
forge and hammer shops. where they
remain for two weeks. After this the
class Is divided into small SQUADS,
some OF them going into the black.
smith shop. others to the machlnists
bench. the carpenter shop, the tin
smith. the coppersmlth and the
plumber for instruction. Each man
must hammer and turn out from raw
metal every piece OF steel which go.s
into tho complicated breech block me
chanlsm and the firing devices. Pro
jectiles and smokeless powder also
get great deal OF attention, this las,
phase OF the work taking the schoo
to indian Head. Md, for seyero
weeks work.
When these men graduate and leave
Washington for the various ships Of
the Atlantic feet to them falls IN,
duty OF keeping In repair every DOR
tion Of the ships armament II dur
Ing battle practice a spring or bit o
mechanism breaks. these seaman gun
ners must enter tho ships machln,
shop and forge or turn out a new
piece.
The gunner Is In absolute command
OF his gun. Ho has under him an Al
sistant. In the big dreadnnughts O
today. there are six turrets, with tw,
guns to each turret. Each turret 1,
supplied with ammunition for twt
magazines. Also there is a gupne,
In charge Of the magazines. Beside,
these, there are smaller flve.lnch rifles
six and onepoundcrs located on var,
ous portions Of tho ship. To thes,
smaller guns tho recently graduate,
class Is always sent In tine the,
arc promoted and placed In charx,
OF big gun or even a whole turre,
Severe With Students.
Uncle Sam Is exceedingly sever,
with his students. They must tur,
out promptly at 8 o'clock In tho morn
Ing. roll up their hammocks. sweel
out their quarters and be washed
shaved and oleanly clothed for break
fast at O'Clock. At 8 O'Clock the,
enter the shops Of the naval gun faf