The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-12-13
FAMOUS OLD ship
TARGET FOR GUNS
Airships and Coast De-
fense Guns Will Bonn
bard Old Battleship

II, PENSACOLA, Fla. Lazily tug
| ging at her anchors thousand yard
on shore in the Gulf Of Mexico TIL
obselete battleship Massachusett
awaits her bath Of shot and shell
and this will be poured into tn
stripped hull Of the once famou
American navy battler this month
The army alone will play the las
card respecting the existence of th,
old battleship, and the War Depart
ment's newest method of coast de
tense will be employed in the opera
tion. Aside from the guns on the
ramparts Of Forts Pickens and Nc.
Rae, the old ship will receive the
heavy and destructive shells from
Uncle Sans railway batteries, known
as the mobile battery of the army
These guns are on the way hero nov
from Fort Eustis, and upon their ar
rival they are to be sidetracked un-
til the spot they will occupy while
opening up on the old battieship can
be made stable by the construction
Of heavy concrete bases. Tie guns
are mounted on railway carriages,
and 1t is claimed this kind Of arma-
ment is one Of the most dependable
ever devised by the War Department 8
chiefs. Guns are fred accurately at
5000 yards.
Had Stormy Voyage
The Massachusetts, arrived from
her last voyage at sea in tow of the
mine sweeper vireio and the naval
tug Alglorma. It required fifteen days
to make the trip from Philadelphia
to Pensacola. Comparatively good
weather for this season Of the year
was encountered until few days
from her destination, and then 1t
seemed as IL the elements were fight
ing to keep the old battlesh,p from
the fate which awaited her at Pen
sacOla.
The Massachusetts, will be sunk, 1t
II understood, at her present an
cnorage. This is at a point in tie
Gulf of Mexico approximately 5000
yards from the point where the de-
structive coast defense fortifications
are located. That means that the
ship will be fired on at a distance of
5000 yards. The old hull, immedi-
ately upon arrival, was filled with
water and allowed to settle on the
bottom in water about twelve feet in
depth. Once the big gun target prac-
Using is ready to begin, the old ship
will be raised, naval tugs going to
her side and pumping out the water
from her holds. This will permit the
guns to be trained on real battle
ship model for target.
Planes To Spot Shots
There will be planes from the PEN
planes Naval Air Station and army |
)lans from Camp Sheridan field en-
)l0yed to do their bit in the work Of |
destruction. At the beginning of the |
nanoeuvres the planes will be en-
,loyed to spot the shots and record
he hits or misses as the cases may
,e. 1t is not believed the old ship |
will be sunk for several days, but
hat is not meant as reflection on
he gunnery Of the armg. On the
contrary, 1t is stated a salvo of shells
will be hurled at the great mass of
teel armor, then a cease firing order
will be set and the board to make
urveys on the effects Of the shots
'oured from the land batteries. These
will be carefully marked and record
d and made into part Of the record
f the manoeuvre. After the guns are
through with their programme air
lanes will finally end the existence
+ the obsolete ship by bombing from
,000-foot attitudes
.s.-----------