The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-24
Connecticut Jackies Make; Fine Records at Full Ser
 vice Firing. T1irdR Division Now On Its WaJFt6fs7asit to Port
 land, Me.
Especial to ma Farmer.)

Sspecia1 to Tne :Farner.1
 On4Board U S. s. Kearsage. Tan sAer Sound. Md August 24.-The kboonidg of five inch guns kept up an almost continuous thunder to-day as the Kentucky, bearing the naval nnili- tia from Connecticut, Rhode Island and Maine steamed back and forth over her course in Tangier sound
 stormy day, when target raft an chors failed to hold to the wind had delayed the long expected practice E from Saturday until Sunday, but as the awakening calls of the pugles ! sounded at five o'clock Sunday morn ing there was little question in the minds of the officers that the day would be a fine one for the purpose
 Targets were bent on the battIeship raft masts before 8 o'clock and short ly before nine the actual firing be-. gan The gun deck was scene Of activity. for gun crews were at their stations and the big shells were ar ranged in semi-cireIes that were for. ua1aakde in their very appearances
 Through the open ports of the gun deck a bright sun cast it's shirr1-s nerfng rays along the smoothly pol ashed barrels which tapered to long gray points beyond the battleship's ! sides Ofncers in command took their respective stations on the lower platforms of the hght-tops, and with ] their crews n1OSt90I whom were sSLrAp ped for action to the waist
 Out beyond the apertures through wIzich stzae SgSuns pfo5eeted could be seenstfaee four sheeted target upon. which the various crews were to com pete. All was in readiness. As the ship steamed slowly down the course under control of naval militia. officers and passed the firing flag the big fog horn sounded it's deep bass and the command to standby, load, and begin firing was welcome sound to those who waited with nervous expectancy for the beginning
 On the superstructure deck. the quarter. and forward decks, groups of curious faces peered seawards and. following the first boom of the port side forward gun waited with ex- pectancy for the result of the shot. Out beyond the target a white splash indicated that the shot had struck streak of white ascending skyWard, nearly a mile beyond the first. again showed the rochetting projectile weighing nearly 50 pounds beipg propelled through the war with ter -5f,re sfr,ysfe
 t cdsfn1and took part were among the i first to ire the fourteen guns being 1 utilized on the port and starboard bows These were followed by reg l uIar gun crews from the various di- yzslona of Connecticut. Rhode Island 1 and Maine
 Behind the big guns, upon which sp1af&oEuA have been constructed so k&EE5ajE naE-aHe standing upon the gun 7tss1R,a a smoste wonderful sight is z,resentedS during the firing The ad- 1usf1ng or sights is done almost si- k4anEIy with occasional telephone di- ffrscEions from elsewhere on the ship kA button is pressed, a. flash of fire Eseelnfngfy envelopes the gun and it's 1 cresv and tIsns the sznokeless powder c1esEs away. A stunning noise fol- blows and one realizes that shot has been fred which in actual war < fare would blow it's way through in Esches Of steel and probably destroy 8 t1arge4 section of it's opponent ship
 BH01n the early morning hours un- Haz1 latA Sunday night the booming EkepE Mps while members of the Rear aasess complement of officers aided Tn Eeae unlpfring that is to determine Szsa4nza slate in the union is to have the trophy awarded for best marks nnan9lz1p wdfh the big guns
 Omcers<and crews of the Kearsageg the Lamont, and the Re1ds watched 1.-the naaneTvers and firing during the day, their ships decks being lined with the white uniforms of the ser vice
 Thpagb 1t is confidently expected -tf1sa&r Aa7e Connecticut Afconting gent will i stand high in the practice, no definite results will be announced until final check1ngs of time. speed of vessel and other essentials of the war game are completed
 On Saturday, during high wind, accompanied by rain two Bridgeport boys, James Reilly, of Huntington Road, and John Robarts of William Il street. were internationally situated i when they secrefed themselves in a gear closet abeueath the fighting top. Thy had done so that they might eat some deIicacies without observation by other members of the crew who would have wanted to share their feast
 During their sec1usion a sailor on watch making everything fast, un- willingly locked the doors, thus shut ting them completely in the dark. They had remained in the stuffy hole for about half an hour before their cries attracted attention. Later they part of their division.
 The Kearsage is expected to follow the Kentucky in target practice Mon day, with the likelihood that the Ken tuckyss officers will act as umpires and referees. In this event the Ken lucky will probably not get under way For Portland. Maine. until Monday might It is about three days run seo the Maine city.
 kany features Of a battIeship re-