OCR Text |
Show THE VESUVIAS' CUNS. They ara not Altntrthar Hatufaetory to tha Department, Washington. May 28. Tho report of tho naval board on tho test on' the Vesuvius' guns is made public. When the board met May U it found trie guns had not been ranged and no appliances for sighting fitted. Temporary sights were rigged. The accurracy of fire of the starboard gun under the conditions was considered good. The valves of the middle aud port gnus w ere" not in satisfactory working order. The effect of a moderate sea and wind on the general efficiency of the guns and their range was very siijrlit. Generally speaking, the vessel ns a gun platform j behaved very satisfactorily. Many de-tails'conceruiug de-tails'conceruiug the steering; gear ami tho towers could be much improved. As to the natural efficiency of the vessel for offensive purposes, tho board has ; little data ou which to base an opiuiou. Ou May 20ih three shots wore fired at a , target towed by the Chushing at a speed j of ten knots across the line of the lire, thu Vesuvius steaming seventeen knots. One of these would undoubtedly have struck a vessel. This is cousidered a favorable showing under the circumstances. circum-stances. The board considered the tit-tiugs tit-tiugs and appliances for firing the guns very crude anil capable of great improvement. im-provement. The board recommends the guns should be carefully ranged; also various modifications of defects found, and the department has directed tho board to reconvene and submit a dotailed programme for further tests. |