Harold E. Cloke

“ When ready to start to count the time of flight, for example, trail your gun or instrument on the target, stop traversing, and count to yourself: One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand, four one thousand, etc., until finished, saying one thousand after each number. The time required by the average man to say one one thousand or eight one thousand is equal to one second. With but little practice a gunner can be trained to count as high as 20 seconds accurately. ”

“ A. All guns and carriages should be elevated and traversed to their full limits daily. Ordinarily a gun and carriage should be painted at least once a year. However, climatic conditions may vary this rule. Sperm-oil, cosmic or light slushing oil should never be applied to a surface that has a suspicion of grit, moisture, or rust upon it. Brass gearing should have a thin film of sperm-oil or synovial oil on it. All oil-holes and recoil-cylinders should be examined daily at the beginning of drill. ”

“ A. Before firing a hole is punched through the hole on the time-cone corresponding to time of flight at which it is desired that the projectile burst. On firing, the time-plunger strikes the firing-pin for the time-train, then the time-train begins to burn from the point where the hole in the cone was made, and [80] at the end of the time of flight the flame reaches the interior of the fuse, thence to the shell. If this fails or it be desired to use the fuse as a percussion-fuse, the action is as in an ordinary percussion-fuse. ”

“ Q. Give the general duties of a chief of detachment.
A. Each chief commands his own subdivision whenever it acts separately; is responsible for its drill efficiency and for the condition of the material to which it is assigned. He will especially see that the gas-check seat is clean and kept free from injury; that the projectile is rammed fully home; that the chamber is sponged properly after each firing; that the vent is properly served; that the cylinders are properly filled and the throttling-valve properly set before firing; that the mushroom head and gas-check are properly adjusted ”

“ CORDAGE, BLOCKS, TACKLE, GINS, SHEARS, ETC.
Q. Define yarn, strands, jaws of rope, short- and long-jawed rope, guys, spun-yarn, marlin, standing rigging, running rigging, and a bight.
A. Yarn are called threads of hemp or other fibrous material which compose a rope.
Strand is a number of yarns twisted together.
Jaws of rope are the interstices between the strands of rope.
Short-jawed rope is a rope tightly laid up together.
Long-jawed rope is a rope loosely laid up together.
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Guys are stationary ropes to hold spars, such as pry-poles, shears, etc., from falling. ”

“ Tide should be changed at least every half-hour. As soon as the density of the air is ascertained the computer will insert a pin, or set the pointer at the top of the corresponding curve. The same will be done for height of tide.
The muzzle velocity to be used for the first shot will be marked in a similar manner as directed by the range officer. The wind-component device having been set for the azimuth and velocity of the wind and the azimuth of the target, the computer will note the reference-number and set the pointer at the top of the wind-curve having that number. ”

“ This rotary motion, due to the rotating band, causes the plunger to bulge away from the center into two parts; when these parts separate it is seen from Fig. 41 that the firing-pin takes up a position parallel to the longer axis of the fuse and its point is almost touching the friction composition. When the projectile strikes, the plunger drives the firing-pin into the friction composition. The action is then the same as in the ordinary percussion-fuse. This fuse is therefore perfectly safe to handle, transport, or use. It becomes active only when a high rotary motion is given it. ”

“ A. Turn the pinion on the gun-arm to move the scale of the range correction-device until 2150 is set. (The zero of this scale = 2000.) (By doing this it is readily seen that the gun-arm range-scale is just 150 yards nearer the gun center; consequently all ranges read on this scale will be 150 yards more than if the range correction-device were at zero.) The azimuth correction is set by turning the micrometer until the number of even degrees of the azimuth correction (in this case one degree less) is read on the main scale, and the hundredths on the micrometer. ”

“ Explain how to fire a mine by judgment, and how to start the motor generator. Explain how to test mine and cable ends. How are boat telephones [13] operated? Name the parts of fire-control telephones used in mine-commander stations, and give the principal points to be observed in operating them.
SECOND-CLASS GUNNERS.
General Information.
1. Gunnery is the science and art of operating and firing guns.
2. A gun is a machine which throws projectiles with great force in a certain direction under the expanding force of powder gas. ”

“ A. The gun is painted gray, and the carriage olive-green. These are the only colors authorized. The entire surface of the gun is painted except where the console, or tray, touches the gun. Two coats annually are usually allowed.
Bronze trays will not be painted. Steel trays, excepting the upper and front surfaces and guide-rails, will be painted the same color as the gun. No parts of the breech-block or mechanism will be painted. The unpainted surfaces will be kept clean and bright with rottenstone and oil or "Putz-pomade." ”

“ Telescope, objective, eyepiece, interior and exterior deflection-scales, micrometer-head, deflection-screw, open sights, dew-cap, lugs, and thumb-screws.
A. See Fig. 70.
Q. What is one point on the deflection-scale equal to at the target?
A. One five-hundredth of the range in yards; thus one [134] point equals 2 yards at 1000 yards, 4 yards at 2000 yards, and so on.
Q. Example: The range is 5000 yards, and the drift for that range is found in the range-table to be 12 minutes; how would you set your deflection-scale on the telescopic sight? ”

“ A. First: Set the graduated circle and index-disc to read the known azimuth of a visible object and clamp (the eccentric-crank being in gear) .
Second: Set the eyepiece slightly to the left of the reading-opening and tighten the azimuth-clamp.
Third: Raise the whole instrument by grasping the tripod, and turn it so that the telescope points approximately in the direction of the visible object whose azimuth is known, being careful to set the plumb-bob over the home station at the same time and not destroy the setting of the graduated circle and index-disc. ”

“ Special attention should be given to grease-cups on disappearing guns to see that they function properly. Retraction-ropes should be kept oiled and cleaned. No part of the carriage should at any time be allowed to rust, and if the carriage is to remain unused for short intervals, all bright and bearing parts should be covered with a thick coat of light slushing oil or cosmic. If the carriage is to remain unused for long intervals, the cosmic should be mixed with 25 per cent of resin. ”

“ If sockets are used, the ropes for No. 32 cases are but 10 feet less than the ascertained depths at mean low water. This allows 5 feet for submergence and 5 feet for mine, mine bail, sockets, shackles, and anchor. For the larger mine cases an additional allowance must be made for the length of the cylindrical part of the case. Finally each mooring-rope is tagged at each end with the number of the corresponding mine.
Mine cables are cut to the following lengths, plus twice the approximate depth of the water:
Each end of each cable is tagged with the number of the corresponding mine. ”

“ If necessary, pour in more oil until the oil is observed to be in both cylinders up to the level of the filling-holes, then insert the screw-plugs without removing any oil.
Q. Prior to firing, what should be done to the bore of the gun?
A. Prior to artillery practice the bore, including the powder-chamber, of each piece to be used in practice will be thoroughly cleaned and freed from lubricant before any shot is fired. ”

“ When a lamp becomes dull or black inside, a new one should replace it. When any fuse is blown out, new ones should be put in. (Never use copper wire as a substitute for a fuse.)
Q. How should transformers be cared for?
A. Simply kept clean and in a dry place. They should be tested with a circuit-detector once in a while.
Q. How is the charging-generator cared for?
A. Keep free from dirt or rust, fill all oil-holes, clean the commutator with a dry rag, keep the brushes set so as to make good contact, and when not in use cover with a rubber paulin. ”

“ Point out the running part; the standing part; the fall of a tackle.
Rig the following: Whip, gun tackle, luff, single burton.
Gins.—Name the different parts of a garrison-gin. Explain briefly how it is assembled and raised (the drill is not required) . How can the upper block be placed in position after the gin has been raised?
Sheares.—What do sheares consist of, how are they rigged and raised, and what are they used for? How and when is the tackle made fast? How are sheares held in position after being raised? ”

“ Place the gland on the follower, enter them together in the box and screw up the follower.
No more force should be used on the spanner-wrench than that of two men, and generally that of one man is sufficient. The addition of the pipe to the end of the spanner-wrench should not be permitted.
Q. How do you remove old packing from recoil-cylinders?
A. Remove the gland and follower (using new extractor, to be furnished by the Ordnance Department) . Close the extractor around the piston-rod and insert the locking-pin. ”

“ A mine command is a portion of submarine defenses and rapid-fire guns, all commanded by one man—the mine commander.
9. The number of men required for a fire, battle, or mine command depends on the number and caliber of the guns or mortars or the size of the mine command.
10. The number of men in a coast artillery company is 109; in a troop of cavalry 65, in a company of infantry 60.
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EXTRACTS FROM G. O., 9, W. D. 1908.
IV. Seacoast Artillery Table of Annual Allowances of Ammunition for Target Practice and Instruction per
Battery in Commission. ”

“ Range-keeper calls off range, using predicting-scale, and corrects same for gun difference; signals or calls out "Elevation-set!"
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No. 1 assists in opening and closing breech. Examines for dirt, etc., the breech-block and gas-check. Oils same. When necessary, assists in ramming. Places third section of cartridge on shot-tray.
Fig. 2.
No. 2 assists in opening and closing breech, examines for dirt, [22] etc., and oils gas-check seat and threads of breech-recess. ”

“ Light slushing-oil will be used on the different parts of breech mechanisms, including the threads on the block and in the breech recess, in bores of guns, and on all other bright steel or iron surfaces of mobile and seacoast armament, as a preservative when the material is to remain unused for an appreciable length of time. ”

“ Owing to the practical impossibility of a student of gunnery obtaining ready access to all the books, pamphlets, circulars, orders, etc., necessary to fit him for the examinations as required by General Orders of the War Department for first- and second-class gunners, and also owing to the extreme difficulty the average enlisted man has in comprehending the technical language in which these books, pamphlets, etc., are couched,—provided he does by some stroke of good fortune come into possession of some of them,—the author has been impelled to compile this work. ”

“ These azimuth sub-scales are therefore placed on the side, and when the gun or mortar points south the subscale points at zero on the azimuth-circle.
Q. Give some rules for caring for the azimuth instrument.
A. Never allow any of the leveling-screws to become so tight that they cannot be easily turned by hand. When setting the instrument up over a concrete floor make little holes in the concrete [115] for the points of the tripod-legs to set in. Never wipe the lenses with anything having the least sign of dirt or grit upon it. A perfectly clean chamois is always best. ”

“ The bight of a rope is any part not an end.
A bight of a rope is formed by bending or doubling the rope so as to form a loop.
Standing rigging are those ropes which are stationary.
Running rigging are those which run through blocks or pulleys. (See Figs. 45 and 46.)
Q. Explain the difference between hawser-laid rope and cable-laid rope.
A. Cable-laid rope is composed of nine strands, and is made by first laying up three ropes of three strands each with the sun, and then laying the three ropes together into one, against the sun. Hawser-laid rope must be coiled with the sun. ”

“ Name the different kinds of primers used in the battery. Friction, electric, combination (electric-friction) , percussion, igniting. Reload a drill primer. (Ordnance Department pamphlet No. 1881.)
(d) Cordage.
How is the size of a rope denoted? How do you serve a rope? Make a square knot; a bowline; rolling hitch; blackwall hitch; round turn and two half hitches; clove hitch. What is a strap or sling, and what is its use? Make a shear lashing. Mouse a hook and explain for what purpose used. ”

“ Q. How is powder residue removed after firing?
A. After firing the bore may be cleaned by using a sponge covered with burlap well saturated with water. The bore should then be permitted to drain and thoroughly dry before being oiled.
Q. If any rust has accumulated on a bearing part, would you use sandpaper to remove it?
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A. The use of sandpaper is forbidden, and emery-cloth No. 1, being coarse enough for any ordinary rusting, should be used, the rust being softened if necessary by kerosene.
Q. Describe the recoil-cylinder for mortars and its action. ”

“ The electric current in passing through the carbons heats the points to a very high degree, producing a brilliant light. This light is reflected by the mirror towards the front, and the mirror, being of a curved form, also converges the rays of light. Underneath most searchlights are electric motors for traversing and elevating, and these motors are started or stopped by means of switches in a contrivance called a "controller," which is always placed at a distance from the light. ”