Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-07-09
cUNNE:RS';;lIo|F N ! 81 NAVY
.sHATTER TARGETS. I
!. ~ ,t IN ~
Report Shows Steady Improve
inent In Marksmanshiu.
ARE READY FOR THE ENEMY

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 II.
Mayo commander in chief of the At
lantic fleet. The report to Secretary
Daniels summarized is:
Marked increase in the rapidity of
fire and reasonably satisfactory In
crease In accuracy.
Progress in the ability and confidence
If the personnel to prepare for, main.
tain and control the fire of the differ
ent 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
than ever before with less effort, which
stands to prove that present methods,
while not complete or perfect, are fun.
damentally sound.
'The fleet during the last year has
passed through the usual experience
and conditions Of gunnery year, al
though on the whole 1t must be- said
that conditions affecting gunnery train
ing have materially improved.
ut is impossible to allow uninter.
rupted periods of training for target
practice at time when vessels may
be ready for all instants call to go into
action, and If vessel is kept In train
ing, with full realization of such con.
ditions, 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
fotilla, and the time has now arrived |
when destroyers have become danger
GUS factors to the enemy feet 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 u
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, ana the
fifth, 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-
tions, none Of which, however, inter.
fere in the slightest with ordinary bat
tie procedure.
"Day action procedure is well stand
ardized now, and it is pleasure to In
vite another ship during a major cali
ber fire patrol drill and be able to tell
what she is doing without asking count
less questions.
"The check telescope makes training /
more interesting, due to the final mer-
its obtainable on rehearsals. 1t Is also
instructing, as the officers get familiar
with the returns and computations dur.
ing training periods.
Cruising 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
ed with great pleasure the steady
growth in the efficiency of the feet,
and he takes this opportunity Of ex-
tending to the officers and men Of the
feet 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
feet which already have responded
quickly and effectively to the sudden
call for active service against the en-
emy."