Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-06-28
GUNNERS OF navy
SKATER TARGETS
Report Shows Steady Improve
inent In MarkSmanShiu.
ARE READY FOR The ENEMY

Admiral Mayo, Commander In Chief,
Praises Spirit and Loyalty of Off,
GERS and Crews-Many Ships Are
Now on Active Duty, but Time 10
Taken For Practice.
Improvement in craftsmanship Of the
navy is reported by Admiral Henry t.
Mayo, commander in chief of the At
sAntic fleet. The report to Secretary
Daniels summarized is:
Marked increase in the rapidity of
Ere and a reasonably satisfactory In
crease in accuracy.
Progress in the ability and confidence
OF the personnel to prepare for, main
tain and control the fire Of the differ
4ent batteries under varying conditions.
The following extracts from the re-
ports show the efforts which have been
and are being made to improve the
battle efficiency Of the fleet:
More seems to have been accom-
plished during the last gunnery year
.khan ever before with less effort, which
stands to prove that present methods,
while not complete or perfect, are fun
sdamentally sound.
1.-The feet during the last year has
passed through the usual experience
and conditions of a gunnery year. al
though on the whole it must be said
that conditions affecting gunnery train
ing have materially improved.
1T is impossible to allow uninter-
zrupted periods Of training for target
practice at time when vessels may
be ready for an instant's call to go into
action, and If a vessel Is kept in train
ing, with full realization of such con-
4ditions, she will be ready to go into
target practice at any time without
fear Of poor performance. Excellent
training can be had when passing
lights, buoys or vessels at sea.
Destroyers Dangerous Factors.
''The training that torpedo officers
have derived from the work on the
Montana is being strongly felt In the
f1otilla, apd the time has now arrived
when destroyers have become danger
Gus factors to the enemy fleet in day
as well as night engagements.
''In the opinion of the umpires the
practice was conducted in a highly
creditable manner considering the
small number Of officers available and
the duty performed by the ship as a
repair and base ship, which necessarily
limits the time used for gunnery train
ing.
'The first aim of short range prac-
tice is to train officers; the second, gun
captains and turret captains; the third,
pointers; the fourth, the crews, and the
-ffth, to perfect the material. All but
the third can be done in smooth water.
"Day individual practice is merely an
exercise Of battle procedure, in which
ammunition is limited and the ship
hedged short, with certain other restric
fions, none of which, however, inter
fere in the slightest with ordinary bat
tile procedure.
DAY action procedure is we'll stand
'ardized now, and it is pleasure to in
E1te another ship during a major cali
ber fire patrol drill and be able to tell
7what she is doing without asking count
less questions.
1.-The check telescope makes training
more interesting, due to the final mer-
2s2s obtainable on rehearsals. 1t is also
1nstructing, as the officers get familiar
with the returns and computations dur
ing trimming periods.
ACrnising pointing is done on a tar
get on another ship, and the force and
division commanders make 1t point to
give every ship opportunity for point
ing.
The gun captains were utilized to a
marked degree in training the other
units Of their crew, and the work was
very efficient.
The commander In chief has watch
I'D with great pleasure the steady
growth in the efficiency Of the fleet,
and he takes this opportunity Of ex-
tending to the officers and men Of the
Meet his appreciation Of their loyal sup
,port and assistance, and he is confident
that the entire fleet will be ready In
the near future to render valuable serv-
Ice on the scene of active operations In
the same spirit as these units Of the
Meet which already have responded
squickly and effectively to the sudden
call for active service against the en-
semy."