Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-03
TRAINING YOUNG GUNNERs
FOR j. s. MERCHANTMEN
Thousands OF Youths Being Edu-
Gated to Spot Deadly Sub
marines.
USE MODEL TO TEST SIGHT
Circle OF Horizon Marked or in
Sectors Like So Many Pieces of
I'ie-AIcn Who Fought Subma.
rines Instruct Pupils.
ny RALPH ID. PAINE.


The men OF tho armed gun crew
service arc now numbered By thou
sands. II has swiftly expanded as !,
1 department of the naval organization.
important and distinct. New merchant
slips arc building-nects OF thcm--in
lie most tremendous Increase OF tom
mage ever known. They will carry
/ guns and crews trained to use them.
I Unless the war ends within the nest
I year. the navy expects to furnisl,
/ 5000 men for this purpose. or almost
half it's enlisted strength In the
! former days of peace. 1t wonders
\ whore the merchant seamcn will Ic
obtained to fill the forecastics OF this
vast arGosy. but this is n problem for
the Shipping Board TO wrestlc with.
Army camps and cantonmcnts have
been constructed with magical celebrity
the country over. but the navy has
been building on its own account aud
much more quietly. There were no
quarters for the armed drafts as they
came from the fleet. and therefore.
quarters had to be provided The navy
yard OF the port where most of them
wore needed had no spare space what
3
artisans and marines in the varied asa
urgent activities of war time. !; was
an industrial city in itself to!ling ut
top speed III Il disciplined. orderly sys-
tenn. Nearby was q public park. a va
can't place which the government was
reluctant TO withdraw from the people
who enjoyed IT, The emergency just!-
fed the step for ships must sail with
gunncrs aboard. and tonnage aaoat is
the chief factor of the American con-
nict with Germany.
ROWS of neat wooden huildings--bar-
racks. Offices and mess hall--hllcd the
park in a few weeks. The armed
guard had comfortably establish cd
Itself apart from the navyyard, and
It was even able to take care of a
large overflow from other depa rtlnents
of the service. The mess hall. for in
stance. was built to feed 5000 men
three times n day under one roof with
out confusion. sight worth going
FAR to see. The quality and abundance
OF tho bin OF fare and the skill II
the cooks would make any hungry man
desire to enlist In the navy. Six thou
sand men fed from the same immacu-
late kitchen is setting n pace that the
army will find hard to follow.
MEN WHO FOUGHT 0I,T
SUBMARINES INSTRUCTIONS
These fine young navy lads come
from the fleet in drafts OF two or three
hundred. Give them room to stow
their canvas bags and sling hammocks
ana they arc ready for the special and
exacting routine OF schooling the
armed guard Chief petty officers who
have crossed the Atlantic and fought
inc deadly submarine take them IN
ana as gun crews. 10 be held together
uh'h inc word comes to 20 10 sea
stern experience has taught its valu-
able lessons. The game is no longer
untried and novel to these seasoned
Sunncra
In the yard arc mounted guns Of
inc type which viii hc used in action
MOST OF the youngsters have been
drilled in the fleet, but they must learn
moro OF it--learn that this Is = differ
eut business from shooting at !, canvas
Target. hunting the submarine is snap
shooting, enormously difficult. Incc*-
SAINT practice is required to master m,
ART or training. sighting and firing !;
lour or hrc-inch rifle in few seconds
mere must be automatic co-ord.ns,i,,
ON the sp"tter on tho bridg. win
inc telephone strapped 10 his head =
inc trainer sight setter pointer. n,ur-
man and sh"l! handlers, who have ~
uihc Tor nerves or hesitation.
more than this. the trade dcm,,sv
esesishi drilled TO detect a peri.cona
" coming tower a sureness OF yisio,
"Hicn may, In an instant. decide ,,,a
'Hsue OF lie and death Hero ,no
Spo'tihs board comes into play. do
wee so entertaining that tho lads flock
around II out of school hours. II is ,
i"he table upon which the ranges ar.
marked ny lines running both woys
a intervals representing 100 y,rda
- one end is a square Of tin. SO, =,
euse' with narrow slit cut I'm il. ana
shutter which can he dronu.d
across IT,
TINY SUBMARINE MODEL
Used TO EDUCATE BOYS
.poh inc board is tiny model of \
Auoihar!hc as seen when awasb ia
siZc scaled to fit this miniature BIT Of
ocean. y little dab Of cotton glued 10,
!" wooden base is called the splas h"
ana looks very much like the foam
k!cHcd IN when Il shell strikes the
water. nc navy youth who Is learn
'"s 70 spot takes his stand at the
end OF the board and looks through
inc silt in the square of tin 4 com
fadc Hha the shutter and let's It arop
merely glimpse Of the surface and
INC dot Of submarine. The pupil
oSiiiiHtea tho distance and the dcncc-
non right or left and calls out tho
shot,
""oth"r member of the class places
INC splash where the lad at the shut
Ter indicates in his guess at the range.
II may fall 500 yards short or go over
the submarine At tho next glimpse
The gunner" tries TO correct his error.
and again the Splash" is set to show
bow near he comes TO the mark If he
mas a quick eye and good Judgment he
VIII land the splash" within striking
distance of the submarine after four
OF five of these trial shots This is an
adaptation Of the spottng board game
as used on the ships of the navy and
II is particularly valuable for training