Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-22

ship was laid in wreckase that was onos
trim man-of-war.
More than eighteen projectiles were
needed to bring the fragile-looleing bss-
network mast tumbling down. This type
Of fire control mast was adopted by the
United States against the decision Of the
rest OF the world. A comparison of the
durability OF the two types was made
during the tests-and but ono shot was
needed to bring down the old steel
tubular type.
The modern fourteen-inch- pro1ectils.
which will be used by the battleships now
building, weighs 14OO tons About 3Io
pounds Of fine smokeless powder is used
to propel the projectile. with a muxzle
velocity Of 2.60O feet per second. The
burning Of this amount of powder pro
duces approximately 5000 foot tons Of
force.
All these things are considered by the
war-game admiral. When he gives the
signal for his toy ships to open fire he
knows that 1t will be duel to the An
ish. Each ship must fire at another ship
designated by the feet commanders.
Ships firing at each other are designated
by the same numbers on a blackboard
It may be that two of the Red ships d.
rect their fire at one of the Blue ships
or 1t may be that only two of the Red
ships are within range. This would mean
their absolute destruction, for all of tn.
Blue ships could concentrate their fire
on the two Red ships without fear o.
damage to themselves.
the Navy Department has compiled all
records OF target practices In tabulated
form to show the probabilities and chance
OF shells reaching home at various ranges
FOR instance, If ten projectiles are fired
chances are that six of the projectiles
VIII score hits. The per cent OF hits va
RES according to the range. Also. It has
peen determined from tests on the San
Marcos and at the various naval expert
mental stations just how many projec-
tlles and torpedoes a dreadnought can
withstand
This is how the war game battle is
scored. One man stands high above the
game board. as though he were a race
course Judge, and calls of the effect of
eacn saivo to scorer When the safvos
nave wrecked havoc with the enemy 10
such an extent that the ship is rendered
useless. the scorer motions to the man at
the blackboard. who grasses the number
OF that particular ship and then lifts the
side.
AT sea, in the wardrooms of the dread
noughts, the officers. under the lnstruc-
ton of the captain, who In all cases has
oeen student at the War College play
the war game. They have small boards
which ut on top Of the mess table. These
are marked of similarly to the big board
at the War College. The toy ships are
the same: there is the yardstick range
finder. the movement scale and the chart
showing the probable effect OF gun fire
Day after day the officers play the game
at sea, and when their turn comes to go
to the War College they already have
had some rudimentary training in the
subject
The problem explained here is but one
Of thousands presented to the college for
solution. It might be that the American
fleet was divided and one unit Of It held
captive in some port by an Overwhelming
number of the enemy's ships. 1t would
be the Blue commanders mission to de-
wise means whereby he could slip past
the enemy and speed to strengthen an
other unit of the fleet elsewhere.
To make the art of war effective, IL is
necessary that an admiral at sea know
the peculiarities of his v.rious ships.
Various forms of maneuvers. likely to be
used In battle are practiced almost daily,
and the admiral puts the great dread
thoughts through just such PAGES as he
learned at Newport. When the fleet is
called upon to face an enemy, il will be
found that the ships maneuver perfectly
just as school children march out of "a
burning building If they have been profit
ably drilled. And when the time comes
for the navy to protect Old Glorv' 1t will
be found that Uncle Sans sea arm is
ready. ,.-, 80
Thus it is the object of the Naval War
College to teach officers the art and
science OF war. The same principle ap-
plies to war as to any other game-a
good player is better than a poor one.
While the actual course is only about
eighteen months. graduate is expected
to continue study along comprehensive
lines laid down in text books. but these
books are closely guarded naval secrets.
When a commander of the fleet Is
brought face to face with some terrify
ing problem he will probably think back
over the problems which he studied and
solved at the War College. He will call
to mind similar situation when he sent
in his fleet of toy dreadnoughts against
great odds and won the day. He will ap
ply the same solution, and once again he
will be victorious.