The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-10-08

tion in which the foe is advancing. AS yet mono
of the weapons has been pointed, nor, II mortars
are TO be used. even been loaded
The plotters marks upon his paper n NTH point
ahead and in line with the four other dots This
is his predicted point where the enemy vessei
should be "A minute later. In this interval o,
time II is necessary for the men in the plotting
room TO do number of things necessary TO make
il possible for the weapons 10 score hit The
mere range Is not enough to know. Let us as
sumo that the foe is 20 be attacked by means or
mortars and that the proiecties are To soar
thousands OF feet into the air upon their long
flight that may take the better part OF two
minutes before plunging upon the vulnerable
decks of the hostile dreadnaught.
II Is needful TO know how long the shells VIII
be in the air at that range how far the target
will move during the flight of the missiles how
much the path OF the proiectiles viii be nnu-
enced by drift due 10 their own rotation and ths
effect OF the prevailing wind; the exact powder
charge that will be needed TO propel the shells
this being determined by the range and the state
of the atmosphere and finally, how much ahead
the mortars must be aimed I'm order 20 allow for
these factors These complications are due to
the method of indirect fire employed. and I'm this
particular the mortars are not so accurate as the
big rifles and therefore are more dimcult to
handle i'm order 10 insure good results. The final
point set I'm the plotting room is No. and two
minutes further along than No 5. the predicted
point" the latter being verified by the angles
given by the observers at the spotter stations
when the vessel is duly reported at the proper
moment.
All OF this has taken longer 10 describe than
actual performance calls for. because the
factors which have been just mentioned are tabu-
lated and are quickly worked out graphically by
means OF cunningly devised apparatus. II must
be evident that I'm an interval OF four minutes
a big ship 10000 10000 yards of would not get
measuraby closer. and once the proper range is
found and the mortars loaded the shifting range
is quickly verified and the guns set accordingly.
The men In the towers and those in the plot
ting room are at work all the while At definite
intervals the instructions sent by telephone
from the plotting room TO each battery or mortar
pit and lest these vocal directions be misunder-
stood the figures and orders visbly repro
duced For this work the telautograph is
ployed. and thus words and numbers in writing
check the telephone calls.
As has been said, there are four mor;ars In
each pit. and a general thing there are four
OF these pits at each defense station. In other
words salvo OF lG high explosive shells
be launched by indirect fire at a foe. II but
two OF these hit the enemy she would either be
destroyed or gravely damaged because none OF
her decks would be able 10 Withstand such
assault. In practice the performances of such a
battery have been splendid AS "A matter OF rec
ord. mortar company has fired many
ten shots in minutes 40 seconds, and in that in
terval made six hits. while another company has
scored eight times out OF ten shots during a
span OF minutes 2S seconds These mortar
proiectiles weigh from 800 to 900 pounds. and
are charged with from 30 to so pounds Of high
explosive
For the disappearing guns the modus operandi
differs i'm some particulars. The time OF fight
of the shot is shorter than I'm the case OF the
mortar shell. the powder charge is not varied 10
suit different ranges. and the state OF the atmos-
phere is not a deciding factor. Therefore
rections are more easily made. for the rife. when
it does fire is pointed right at it's target The
principal concern OF the battery commander In
TO know the range and this is telephoned and
reproduced by the telautograph at the firing sta
tions
The battery commander also follows the enemy
ship with telescope range finder that employs
short vertical instead OF horizontal base. This
serves as check and at each gun there Is a tele-
scopc sight which is functioned independent OF
the weapon--the operator looking over the para
pet and following continually the moving quarry.
BY swinging his telescope horizontally he causes
the lateral angle 20 be Indicated az the gun sta
tion below. and there the trainer swings the
weapon in unison and the elevator raises the
muzzle agreeably 10 instructions from the range
finders
When the rifles have been loaded and the mo-
ment for action arrives these great war dogs
rise upon their steel launches and thrust their
muzzles above the heavy parapets OF concrete.
Instantly there is a thunderous boom-the speed.
ing proiectiles are their murderous mission.
Before the thin veil OF smoke has been swept
aside the guns have sunk behind cover. and but
for.the momentary flashing OF their mu,zles there
Is nothing 10 show the spoilers on the hostile
craft where the attacking guns lie