New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-11
OFFICERS ARE PLEASED
WITH MORTAR PRACTICE
Had BattIeship Been Target II
Would Have Been Blown
to Atoms, They Say.
d HITS OUT OF 10 SHOTS
Sighting of Guns Interesting
Feature to Hundreds Who
Lined Ramparts OF
Battery McCook.

ooVNAJ
II foreign battleship had tried IN
enter New York harbor Saturday night
instead OF a target twelve feet square
il would have been blown to atoms ny
the Pinch mortar guns Of Battery Nc
Cook. 18th Company. Coast ARTILLERY
Corps. at Fort Hancock. according 10
military experts.
So accurate was the first firing ever at
tempted at night by a New York coast de-
fence battery that four hits were offlcially
scored out Of ten shots fired. All except
three Of the half-ton projectiles came 50
unconnfortably near the target that II
would have been fatal for any squadron
Of battleships and cruisers TO have at
tempted TO run by the fort.
The practice Saturday night was part
of the 24-hour war ordered by the war
Department for the artillery companies
at Forts Hamilton, Hancock and "ads'
worth The firing was witnessed ny
many Of the officers of the other forts
and invited guests The officers were SO
well pleased with the results that they
said after the practice no feet Of battle
ships would ever enter New York harbor
past it's coast defences.
Mortars Prove Best Defences.
CAPTAIN Kerrick. of the engineering
corps attached 10 Fort Hamilton saio 'he
practice showed the mortars were the
best defences the artillery had. lie point
ed out that the line firing guns were re-
sisted by the heavy armor plate on the
sides Of the battleships, while there was
no protection on the decks to guaru
against the work Of the shells that came
from above Mortar firing. he main
tanned. has also become so advanced that
Il is fully as accurate as that OF the
heavy guns.
So accurately had the plotting board
IN charge Of the army engineers done us
work that the first three and the NTH
shots fired hit within the fifty-yard ra-
dius Of the target The fourth fell tribe
short.
Atmospheric conditions in the upper
strata Of air, the winds or some othe'
agency. may have affected the other nVe
shots. for they overshot the marx. IL
was Intended 10 fire all ten shots at ono
minute intervals. but coastwise steamers
crossed the danger zone several times
and caused a command 10 cease hrins'
II was necessary for the tugboat Har-
vey Brown. drawing the target 10 MAKE
seven trips over the tVo-mile course OF
shore before the ten shots had been dls-
charged. The long interval after the hrst
few shots were fired is supposed 10 nave
given time for the change in condiuons
which made the scoring of the last shots
less accurate. The last three fell from
30 to go yards over the mark. although
tbe,, we're I'm n nearly perfect line OF
DETECTION.
The firing began at 9:S5 and ala not
cease until nearly II o'clock. due 10 the
extreme precautions taken against IN
turing boats that might come within the
firing zone A searchlight on either end
Of the Sandy Hook batteries threw shafts
OF light out 10 sea, while govern
noent boat followed the target at sale
distance 10 warn of vessels from the
outside. In spite Of this there were sew
eral ships that would not turn out OF
their courses and came through the hring
line.
Gunners Never Saw Targets.
The sighting OF the guns was the most
interesting
visitors who lined the ramparts Of Bat
terv McCook. The gunners in the deep
p'ts never saw the water nor the target
during the long siege. Observations were
taken with powerful field glasses $500
yards apart.
The location Of the target was me-
chanically worked out by the plotting
board. With this was reckoned the prob
able azimuth Of the proJectile in It's
fight and the thirty-fve seconds OF time
n took for IL 10 describe its parabola.
These observations were taken every
thirty seconds and were telephoned 10
the firing squad in the pits.
Gunners were seen TO set the mechan-
ism OF the guns at the commands. which
were something Ike "26l points," When
the word FIRE" had been given, the
short. fat mortars were swung into posi-
ton. There was a deafening roar. and
the screeching projectile OF l.046 pounds
OF cast iron started on its flight two
miles into the air. 10 drop at point
where the ship" was supposed 10 be
minute from the time the gun belched
forth its fire and circle OF smoke.
The night practice was in direct charge
of Captain William II. Colvin of the
18th Company. and under the supervision
OF Colonel S. A. Allen. commander or
the coast defences Of Southern New
York Lieutenant Colonel Delamere
Skerrett was umpire. and Lieutenant
Colonel Maurice K. Barroll was firing
commander. First Lieutenant Rodney
Smith. of West Point football fame
probably had the most exciting post. In
charge OF the tug that drew the target
back and forth over the two-mile course.
Colonel 6. o. Davis. Captain Dean.
mortar expert. and Captain Johnson, all
OF the 18th Regiment. National Guard,
were interested spectators.
The officers in charge Of the practice
gave as a reason that no night practice
had ever been held before near New
York that the government had no power
In time OF peace to keep ships from en-
tering the firing zone. and the large
number in service here had made IL al
most impossible 10 attempt practice.