New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-02
Contingent Makes IS Hits
Out of so Shots with
3-InCh Shells.
VIRGINIA SECOND
WITH SCORE OF q
Afternoon Given Over 70
Smashing of Targets in
Tangier Sound.
[ r-n-- 4 s,sr correspondsnt q NE Tnbuns. !


Aboard L. s.. s. Maine, Tangier
Sound, Chesapeake Bay, Aug. 81 by
tug to Norfolk. Na.).-Slnce early
Thursday morning the Maine has been
within the sound of heavy gunfire. All
the ships in the reserve feet now
anchored in Tangier Sound have been
engaged in target practice, with civilian
crews manning the three-inch guns.
Shortly after noon mess the Maine
got under way and steamed out to her
range. Four targets Of battleship gray,
each l2xl5 feet, with bulPs-eyes oil
white. were anchored on RATS at the
apex of a triangle 500 yards from the
red flag which marked the centre OF
the course. The distance from eacn
end of the course, which was l,790
yards long, to the targets was 1910
yards.
Twice the ship covered the course
while the crews sighted the targets.
On the trips which followed sixty
rounds Of shells were fired, with re-
suit Of thirty-five hits. This record puts
the New York contingent aboard the
Maine in the lead, for the returns this
far received show that the next best
number of hits was made by the Nlr-
ginia, with a score of twenty-seven.
The final ratings, in which the time of
the shots plays a large part, VIII not
be computed for two or three days.
View from Fighting Top.
From the after fighting top of the
Maine, 1O5 feet above the water line
all the three-nch guns of the ship were
in full view. Through the shifting
clouds of heavy smoke from the stacks
the white uniformed crews looked very
small as they swarmed about the guns
in active preparation for firing. All of
the rails had been removed, the whale
boats were swung in and the stays
which hold the tunnels unfastened, so
that the great cranes which swing the
steam tenders could be turned out OF
the way.
As the l4-pound shells we're brought
up from the magazines the heads OF
each gun crews allotment were painted
distinctive color, so that holes made
in the targets could be checked up.
Small boats were dispatched TO the
vicinity OF the RATS, filled with men de-
tailed 10 repair damage done TO the
targets after each trip Of the ship over
the range.
When the Maine passed the red flag
marking the start Of the course the
red powder flag was run up on the fore
mast and the crew of gun No. | took
their positions.
Every one on board was impatient for
the first shot TO be fired; all had filled
their ears with cotton to lessen the
sound of the explosions.
First Shell Fired.
The telephone man in each crew ad-
justed his head apparatus. There was
a ouick command and the breech of
the first gun was thrown open and the
first shell man, wearing heavily
padded glove on his right hand, put IN
the shell. The breech snapped shut. A
deafening roar and a conclusion which
shook the fighting top with such force
that the ground glass in camera was
shattered. a l5-foot sheet OF brilliant
yellow flame, a shower OF what seemed
TO be orange confetti, the whiStiing OF
the shell as NJ nurtleu lnEOuSh Inv M
and. in the distance, "A great volume OF
water rose at the target and shat
tered spar dropped the great sheet or
canvas into the water. Behind the RATS
spouts of spray, like small geysers,
marked the course of the she'll as 1t
ricocheted toward the far-away Mary
land shore.
A great cheer from the civilians rose
as the first shot reached its mark. Al
most before the splash showed that the
she'll had struck the target a second
had left the gun. All afternoon the
shooting continued until dusk called
halt
Seven ships in the feet had their
target practice Thursday. Other scores
besides those Of the Maine and the Nlr-
ginia are: Out of 60 shots fired the
New Jersey made % hits; the Louisi-
ana. %; the Illinois, 25. Out OF IL SHOTS
the Kentucky made hit and the Rear
sarge 4 hits. -
In compliance with orders from the
Navy Department the feet Will move
to Hampton Roads some time FRIDAY