Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-24
OLDBAY STATE
BATTLESHIP TO
BE GUN TARGET
Massachusetts, Namesake Is
MOored at Last Anchorage
in Gulf of Mexico.
COMMANDMENT AWAITED

PENSACOLA. Fla. Dec 24.-Lazily
tugging at her anchors a thousand yards
off shore in the Gulf Of Mexico the OBJ
solete battleship Massachusetts, awaits
her bath of shot and shell, and this viii
be poured into the stripped hull of the
once famous American Navy battler this
month The Army alone will play the
last card respecting the existence Of the
old battleship, and the War Depart
ment's newest method of coast defense
will be employed in the operation.
Aside from the guns on the ramparts
Of FITS. Pickens and McRae, the old ship
will receive the heavy and destructive
shells from Uncle Sans railway batter
les, known as the mobile battery of the
Army. These guns are on the way here
now from FIT. Eustis, and upon their ar
rival they are to be sidetracked until the
spot they will occupy while opening up
on the old battleship can be made stable
by the construction OF heavy concrete
bases. The guns are mounted on railway
carriages, and it is claimed this kind
Of armament is one Of the most dependa-
able ever devised by the War Depart
ment's chiefs Guns are fired accurately
at 5000 yards.
LAST VOYAGE
STORMY ONE
last voyage at sea in tow of the mine
sweeper Virelo and the naval tug Algler-
ma. 1t required fifteen days to make
the trip from Philadelphia to Pensacola.
Comparatively good weather for this sea-
son of the year was encountered until
few days from her destination, and then
1t seemed as if the elements were fight
Ing to keep the old battleship from the
fate which awaited her at Pensacola.
-, l. & +
understood, at her present anchorage.
This Is at a point in the Gulf OF Mexico
approximately 5000 yards from the point
where the destructive coast defense forti-
fications are located. That means that
the ship will be fired on at a distance
Of 5000 yards.
The old hull, Immediately upon ar
rival, was filled with water and allowed
to settle on the bottom in water about
twelve feet in depth. Once the big gun
target practising is ready TO begin, the
old ship will be raised, naval tugs going
to her side and pumping out the water
rom her holds. This will permit the
guns to be trained on 8 real hattleship
model for a target.
PLANES TO PLAY
PART IN DESTRUCTION.
There will be planes from the Pensa-
cola Naval Air Station and army planes
from Camp Sheridan field employed to
do their bit in the work Of destruction.
At the beginning Of the mRneuvers the
planes will be employed to spot the shots
and record the hits or misses as the cases
may be.
1t Is not believed the old ship will be
sunk for several days, but that is not
meant as a reflection on the gunnery Of
the army. On the contrary, 1t Is stated
a saivo of shells will be hurled ut the
great mass of steel armor, then a cea So
firing order will be set and the board
Of ordinance experts will go on board to
make surveys on the effects Of the shots
poured from the land batteries. These
will be carefully marked and recorded
and made into a part Of the record OF
the maneuver. After the guns ala
through with their program airplanes
will finally end the existence OF the obs9-
Iete ship by bombing from 4,Ooo-foot Al
titudeS