Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-26
ISLAND At DUTCH CAP
CHOSEN FOR GUN RANCE
Artillery and Machine Gunncrs TO
Bcgin Practice There as
Soon as Prepared.
ISOLATED ISLAND is IDEAL
Big-Gun Action Will Disturb No One,
and Quick iircrs Can Spattcr Lead
Without Dang Lightlecpcr
Only Inhabitant.
fEv a STAFF Corrcaronden. !


CAMP LEE. VA. November a5-Jt
VIII not be long now before the artil-
lcrymep here will be using big guns
~ traininG for their attacks and ducIs
Win The Eochcs. and the men who
handle the machine guns will also ha avc
a chance 10 get accustomed 20 tho
rap.L FIRE or this important Implement
Of warfare. The site for tho prac. ice
has been selected by hiajor-Gencral
Cronihit". and this will serve for both
the artillcrynen and machine sunncrs
The location is AN ideal ono, and was
picked by General Cronkhitc after he
had gone over all tho territory sur
rounding tho cantonmcnt that held
promise OF bc!.g suited for the train
ing.
The ISLAND at Dutch Gap. in the
james River. is thG piacc decided on.
1t Is not a great distance from the
camp. and o!icrs that complct- Sc
curity from danger that is so much
ncc'.cd in all firing instruction. Here
III" troops can hammer away "a. day
wi,h big shells. on their Imaginary foe
without rear OF disturbing aay person
or that the shells viii fall where they
Should no.. The men Of tho machine
guns can also pull the triggers that
viii make the weapons spit their mer-
cilcss lire with never "A thought that
they will hc dangerous to any persons
in The vicinity.
This is bccaues the island is isolated
and OF large area. on all sides It is
surrounded by the river, which is OF
good width, and the size Of ,he island
furnishes abundan, space for the prac-
tice OF the soldiers. The island is
abont three miles long and about half
as wide. In getting the land the gov
crnmcnt experienced no difficulty on
account OF tenants. as the island is un-
populated with the exception Of the
.iShtkeepcr.
No firing o: the artillery will he held
on tho island. This will serve the
purpose OF a pocket or basket TO re-
ccivc the shells when they are dis
charged by the big guns. 1t is the
plan to have the artillcrynen draw up
along the roads on all sides OF the
island. and. frorn any point that the
officers may select, fire the guns at
some targc, on the island. This will
give the men training closely approXi-
mating the actual lighting which they
will have 10 perform on the other side
O"er top of trees. at varying dis
'anccS. the troops will send the shells.
The telephone systems which are used
on the western front for guiding the
firing Of the guns will also he en-
ploycd here. and the men will con-
struct !ookouts IN the trees or wher-
ever necessary to see the aim and ef-
feet OF the artillery fire.
ONE OF FINEST RANGES
SAYS MAJOR DUNLOP
at is one of the finest rifle ranges
have ever seen" is tho way Major
j. *. Dunlop. the ranking British Of
liccr here. spoke of the site selected
by General Cronkhite for small-arms
practice. This was on the occasion OF
u recent trip to the range. made by
the commanding general, the British
and Frcnch attaches. and some OF his
staff officers. The work on the range
is proceeding. and il is believed that
the men Will be able to stari thcir
rife training by the first OF the year.
Had il been possible for the con-
tractor to secure the necessary lum-
Der. the range would have been ready
by November II. This was the date
orig inaliy set. The lumber is being
received now in quantities suiiicien:
for the completion Of the range. and
there is little doubt Of it being ready
in another week.
When completed. the range will be
one OF tho largest in the country. hav-
ing 240 targets, sufficient for two reg
imcnts to be engaged at time. The
site is n mile wide, and runs from the
northern end of the camp to the Ap-
pomattox River. 4 distance of several
mil Will b,, to
detail, with shooting distances from
200 to 1000 yards.
Already the mail reaching the camp
is being filled with hundreds OF ,,hrist-
mas packages. In all sizes ard shapes,
they arc coming in large numbers
daily. The majority OF them arc mark
cd do not open until Christmas" so
the men arc putting them away under
their cots or any place that assures
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