The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-10-15

OF the old type. He neithe
spares the rod nor spells tn
~ child He has many pupils
those who enter his service
In the government departments an,
tho army and the navy. His cours
OF training in the navy is rather Sc
we're. for he requires every man VIII,
enlists for service under the Star,
and Stripes on sea to become a skille,
artisan. Probably the most interest
ing OF all Of Uncle Sans trade school.
Is the school for seaman gunners, Al
the navy yard in Washington. 1t /.
mere that the men who aim and IRE
the great guns learn their principle
and mechanism so thoroughly that the
emclency of the United States navy
Is unequaled by any navy In the
world
There are more than 25 men in the
seaman gunners' class at the present
Tune, enrolled for six months of the
hardest kind Of study in the shops
ana IN the classroom. Every one OF
these men Is picked, and in the serv,
Ice 1t Is considered a great honor to
De chosen to join the class. Only
men who have been in the service
Tour 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.
Ihey learn the making OF the large
and small guns They learn by prac-
tical 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
70 the ordnance course they are re-
CURED to become proficient In the sci.
ence of autobiography and skilled IN
the manufacture and principle Of the
storage battery
WORK en- the big guns start from the |
raw casting This huge. -5-ton cvl,n.
der OF steel is bored out, trimmed and
grooved The casing, another huge
cylinder OF steel is bored out heated
white hot and shrunk onto the proov.
ed lining The manufacture OF this
part OF the monster 1iinch rifles takes
about four weeks.
lhen the gunnery force enters tina
forge and hammer shops, where thew
remain for two weeks After this the
class is divided into small souads
some OF them going into the black.
smitn shop, others to the machinists'
bench. the carpenter shop. the tin.
smith, the coppersmith and tho
plumber for instruction. Each man
must hammer and turn out from raw
metal every piece Of steel which zoe.
into the complicated breech bloch ma.
chanism and the firing devices Pro
]ectiles and smokeless powder also
get great deal Of attention. this Last
Phase OF the work taking the schoo,
10 Indian Head, Md. for ..var.,
weeks work
when these men graduate and lava
washington for the various shins ~
the Atlantic fleet to them falls the
luty OF Keeping in repair every nor.
lion OF the ships armament II dur
ing battle practice spring or bit q,
mechanism breaks. these seaman vrn
hers must enter the ships machine
shop and forge or turn out NOW
piece. ~" ,
The gunner is in absolute commaa
u his gun. He has under him An ,s.
'istant. In the big dreadnaugh,s Of
ooay' there are six turrets, with tuo
'uns 10 each turret Each turrA, ;.
supplied with ammunition for two
magazines Also there is a gunner
a charge or the magazines Besides
nese' th"7' re smaller five-inch rifles
TX AM ar ounders located on ysr,. .
'us po''' OF the ship. To these {
maiet 80 the recently graduated !
lass Is $ sent In time they
re promo, and placed in charge c
u Ole tHH even whole turrst a
Severe With Students. t
Uncle Sam is exceedingly severe t
nth his students They must turn a
ut promptly at o'clock In the morn. II
as, roll up their hammocks. sweep v
at their quarters and be washed q
haved and Clearly clothed for break. d
sst at o'clock At s o'clock tbey &