The sun., 1919-06-15
yGThe SAN MARCOS
tVV FORMERLY TIE US s
TEXAS. TIE NkNT'S
BATTLE TARGET ON ITO
CHESAPEAKE FIRING RANGE

when It strikes the water. With this
method of firing there Is no limit TO the
range at which you can fight battle
except that Of visibility and the range
of the gun. or course the greater the
distance the smaller the probability or
chance Of making a hit"
According to Admiral Fletcher II Is
quite practicable to spot the fall Of
shots by their splashes IL the atinos
phere be clear at distances Of fifteen
miles away, and by way OF explaining
the ineffectiveness Of shooting ships
guns singly this eminent expert said
I'VE cannot fire single guns effect
lively because the blast of gun dis
the atmosphere for quite an appredA
BILE time afterwards; SO. therefore It
is necessary to fire all the guhs We can
and then let the atmosphere clear
away so that we can fire again. II We
fire one at time, you see, we will lose
a great deal OF time. II we can drop
some of our shots each time within
200 yards, one side or the other OF the
target, we are bound to make Ger
tain percentage OF hits II we fro
large number of shots"
Hence the advantage Of the salvo.
Similarly. the ship target, as disun
guished from the canvas target ap-
proximates actual battle conditions
and 1t Is practicable to determine e1'
actly just what measure OF damage
each telling shot makes. Not only
does the target ship serve TO enlighten
the ordnance engineer, but It const-
tutes a compelling stimulating object
lesson to the men behind the guns AMI
their fellows at the telescope sights
And there remains yet another ser,'
lee which some Of these obsolete bat
teships may be able to discharge 70
the nations advantage. That Is 70
cay, 1t is quite practicable to turn
them into sea forts and 20 locate them
at fixed positions off shore where they
would effectually block foes surprise
approach from the open ocean. For
years the ordnance department OF hs
army has proposed at intervals 10
create an artificial island midway be-
tween CAPE Charles and Cape Henry
at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay
This has been urged because the water I
gap at that point is a matter OF quite
thirteen miles, and when the weather
IL hazy or foggy It is impossible for
observers on shore to detect the move
ments of shipping in midchanne"
Therefore, batteries at either OF the
capes could not prevent hostile fore
from passing in or out as the caS
might be.
Battleship Might serve
Accordingly, by rearing an artihcai
island at the point OF vantage, ara
mounting thereon a powerful oa'tery,
the field of operations for foe wou!i
be- very measurRbly reduced and ths
chances Of his slipping by undetecN1
would be correspondence dimlnisheu
1t is practicable to substitute pei
manently secured hdttleship Tor
man made island, and the draN ~
water Immediately north Of the man
channel is such that a laCEe Vess"
could be grounded there without r.
ducing her freeboard or height aoo''
the tide level.
The entrance TO the Chesapeake
not the only water approach along ouI
shores that might be guarded IN tms
manner. To bring the subject direcuy
home to us here we should recall now
feverishly the ordnance authorizes U
the army-after the situation Lad pee.
disclosed repeatedly for a nInoer Q,
years - stripped Forts Ham IN au
Wadsworth or their main armamehs
and transferred them 20 empa r,H.'
created for them at Rockaw1v feHcir
where they could command "aNI
area OF considerable depth 'h was
beyond the reach of the SanSS 1909.
batteries and we'll beyond tho range Q.
the two forts Just mentioned M >
much more effective substitute Z"
Government might ground - sho',
one of the best Of the twelve 'uteu
hattleships and place II al POM
where It could guard the water area
in question and likewise stand ntine
over the sea enhance 10 Amhro''
Channel.