Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-16

piece however, is in the middle of the
instrument and instead of pointing il
at the target it is placed side to it.
Ihefe is tense and a prism in each
emu OF the range finder and each of
tHeSe projects an image of the target
upon piece OF ground glass imme-
oiately in front of the eye piece. One
ol tiieSe images appears upside down
on the glass while the other apnears
IN normal position. By turning n
thumb screw in the instrument the
instrument can be lined up until the
TWO images are brought together.
mat is, if the target is a house, the
TWO images OF the house. one upside
down and the other right side up will
be brought together with the ridge
poles OF the two images just touch.
ing. When this has been done a
glance at scale on the instrument
gives the range.
The Battery Commanders teIe-
scope. resembles a pair of field glass
es with hinge in the middle. They
are mounted on q tripod and besides
being a fine observing glass are used
to measure both the horizontal and
vertical angles. There is also another
measuring instrument. known as the
aiming circle which acts on the prin-
clple of surveyors transit and is
equipped with a compass. This in
strument is marked off in millimetcrs
instead Of in degrees.
When the firing data has been COM
puted by the men at the O. p it is
telephoned to the battery commander
stationed just behind the gun posi-
ton. The telephone operator repeats
the data to the commander who re-
lays it to his gun commanders. The
proper adjustments are made in the
guns and upon receiving word from
the O. p. as to the number and kind
of shells to be fired and what guns
shall fire. the gunners prepare the
pieces and fire. After the firing has
ceased the men at the O. =. having
observed where the shells have been
hitting. telephone to the battery COM
mander, data that will enable him to
correct the aim Of the guns so that
they will make q hit.
In the large picture at the top, pits
will be noted on each side of the gun.
These pits are used by the gunners
when firing high explosives III. Ed
shells. The high explosive shell is
fixed with a fuse on the nose which
eXplodes it on contact. When this
shell is fired this fuse which has I'M
til that moment been guarded from
harm, is made ready for business. To
avoid as far as possible the possibility
of the gunnerS being wounded or
killed If for any reason a premature
explosion should occur the gunners
retire to these pits before the lanyard
is pulled When shrapnel is used this
prccaution is not necessary as those
shells are set off at any given time by
n vow Hn1icnfn tjD1ipcr 6pVirn
The bursting of shrapnel is very
beautiful when viewed from a dis
lance. 1t is timed to burst a short
distance above the ground and throw
a. shower of steel balls about. The
force of the explosion is down and
when shrapnel explodes over body
of troops it inflicts immense damage.
From the outpost on the Belgrade
road. which is beside the target, the
shrapnel can be seen to burst with a
flash of intense flame, before the re-
port of the gun reaches the spectator.
Battery-A. began its service prac-
tice Monday morning on the range
and fired all day. On Monday night
they camped on the range and fin
ished up Tuesday forenoon. Tuesday
afternoon battery B went out and
thew continued their practice on
Wednesday finishing near the close
of the day. Battery G, the last bat
terry to use the range will go out this
morning.
The officers Of the battalion have
been stationed at the o. p. all the
week and work out the problems
without regard to which battery is
firing. The headquarters company
has been maintaining the lines OF
communication between the O. L. ana
the outposts of which there are two
in communication with the o. t.
The range work will probably be I'M
ished on Friday and very fine work
has been done. there. .
Adjutant General James w. Han
son stated that the work had gone
very well and that the problems
conducted by the various officers mad
been handled very well. The work
of the gun crews he declared to he
excellent The laying of the pieces
was especially commended by General
Hanson, who said that it shows that
the men have been we'll instructed
i