Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-19
HOUSES SHIVER,
DISHES DANCE AS
GREAT GUNS ROAR
Mortars at Fort Ruger and
Huge Rifle at De RusSy Begin
Trial Shots For Practise

Windows shivered in their frames
and crockeTy danced on the shelves
this morning when the mortars OF
Fort Ruger roared over Diamond Head
and the great 14-inch rifle at Fort
De Russy hurled its projectiles sea
ward.
Trial shots were fired at both De
Russy and Ruger this morning and
record practise for the 105th and 159th
Companies conducted at the latter
pest This afternoon the 14-inch bat
terry at Fort De Russy, manned by the
10th Company, and the 6-inch bat
terry, manned by the 55th Company,
are scheduled for day firing.
The record firing at Fort Ruger CON-
menced shortly after IL O'Clock but
owing to some unforeseen delays was
not completed according to schedule
but was finished at lao this after
neon. Firing was to begin at De Russy
at 2:30 with the big 14-inch gun.
Last season the Coast Defenses of
Oahu led the army In general results
and the Knox trophy, awarded to the
gun or mortar battery making the best
~
Oahu for the second successive year,
being won by TIE 3-inch battery at
Fort Armstrong. This year, keyed up
to a high pitch of enthusiasm by past
successes, officers and men are work
ing hard to make another cleanup"
Battery Harlow at Fort Ruger is
manned by the 105th Company, Capt
+. w. Phisterer, and the 159th Com
pany, Capt. G. W. Waller. Practise
for mortar batteries is by company,
so that each company must man and
serve two pits. Two mortars in each
pit are used for the day practise and
two for night firing. The pits are
fired alternately In salyos Of two
mortars.
Before firing for record each COM
pany fires three trial shots from each
pit to secure data for the study OF
velocity, atmosphere and wind condi-
tons en- the mortar firing. The aim
ing point is small pyramidal target
towed across the range at varying dis
tances. Hits are marked by the prox-
unity of the splash made by the pro-
jectiles to the aiming point, the imagi-
nary target being about the proportions
Of the deck Of a modern battleship.
This morning the practise at Ruger
was at range of about 10000 yards.
For big gun firing, three trial shots
are taken prior to the day practise
which consists Of seven shots for rec
crd. The night practise is like nums
Der of shots but with no trial shots.
For the 14-inch guns the minimum
range for target practise is 10000
yards, while for the 6-inch battery the
minimum is 5000 yards. Trial shots
with guns are to determine the mean
muzzle velocity OF the powder.
Until the results OF this mornings
firing are carefully checked by the
officers in charge and the figures OBJ
tanned at the range station compared
with those secured on the towing .oat
1t will be impossible to compute the
accuracy of the firing. One method
by which the hits are checked Is by a
photograph of the splash, taken from
the tug at the moment the projectile
hits the water. and reproduced on a
carefully scaled-off plate These pho
tos are checked with the figures Of
the observers ashore.
Officers of the national guard will
be given an opportunity to study the
firing this year, permission to this eff
feet having been granted by the de-
partment commander this morning.
Following was the firing schedule
for today and for the balance OF the
week:
July 19-Fort Ruger. 1890 a. m.
Fort De Russy, 1880 p. m. and 2:SO
p. m.
July 20-Fort Armstrong, 5 a. m.
Fort Kamehameha mortars, IL a. m
and IL m. Fort Kruger. $3.50 p. m.
July Effort Kamehameha, 9:15 a.
m, 1915 a. m. and 8:15 p. m.
July 22-Fort De Russy, Sis p. N.
and 9:15 p. m.
July 23-Fort Kamehameha. Sis p.
m. and $3.50 p. m.
July Effort Armstrong. 8 D. m