BIG-GUN FIRING.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14975, 23 May 1914, Page 7

BIG-GUN FIRING.

DEVON THE TAEGrET.

GE.XERAL HAMILTON | WITH RESULTS. (PHESS ASSOCUTION TELEGRiM-) WELLINGTON, May 22. To-day, presence of Sir lan Hamilton, an attempt was made to domoligh the wreck of tho Devon, at- Fencarrow Head, by using; her as a t-aifle* for the 6in. guns on Fort Dorset. H was proposed to take some forty siiots at it, but the programme was curtailed by about one half, chiefly on accouiJ* of the vile weather. Or" course, au enemy's cruiser attempting, to enter the port would not ntjcessarily choose a bright, sunshiny day.. Indeed, she would possibly * select'a dirty night, just such a night as that on which tlio Bcvon went ashore, but Sir lan Hamilton apparently taw no reason vniy iho mon at the forti to-day should bo submitted to the exceptionally bad weather that, prevailed any moro than was absolutely necessary. iJcsides, while the removal of tbo wrrik of the Devon whs desirable, it was, al't-er all. bM eccondary to tho exercife of tho Garrison Artillery in big-gun filingThe efficiency oil the men tJis Uontrs.l had 'ample" opjxirttinity ot seeing for himself. There were borne twenty shots fired, aud those were of lyddite, an explosive which is calculated to have a most .demoralising effect, upon men near' or about anything it hits, whether it bo men aboard a ntan-oi-war or in the field.

Tho X.Z.1?.A., or Permanent Artillery, as they are sometimes called, were first to firo. They found the range at 3975 yards, with a. deflection of 30 seconds to tho right. Tho guns are situated 144 ft above mean sealevel. Tho first shot wont *>hort of the target, but the secoud.lut it, and penetraited the hull, bursting the side. The next shot burst on penetrating *ne hull. After tho explosion of the gun, there was a. second OAplosion on the vosscl as the lyddite shell burst. Seen from the fort', thcro was first an 'orange-coloured flash followed by a great sickly-looking yellow cloud of smoke, which seemed to linger over tho ship indifferent to tho buffeting of the fierce wind. Soveral shots apparently wont right through tlio vitals of tho wreck—the engines—and ono or two of tho explosions on board were quite black, as though tho shells had burst among the coal. The ground having ao far been cleared by tho permanent men,-the Garrison Artillery of the Territorials followed. Eleven shots had already been fired at tho wreck, but the damage dono was invisible from tho chore, although, judging from the explosions on board, it must have been most severe. The first shot by the Garrison Artillory went under the steamer's funnel, the second over it. the third fell short, and the fourth hit the wreck fairly and squarely amidships. There was again a wicked-looking orange-red flame, then a dense cloud of yellow smok© and a terrific explosion. The seventh shot appearod to penetrate right into tlie engine-room. The eighth was in doubfc, but the ninth, and last must have torn away tho sides of the deck • immediately aft of the foremast. Still the funnel stood, and still tho foremast'(remained stepped!'. . . Hail and rain. frequently obscured the sea near the wreck, and the waves in the vicinity were tremendous. There were no vessels in' sight at sea 'from Fort Dorset when the twenty rounds had been fired. ■..'-.

Before nroceedinfr to Forts Ballance 4nd Kelburno, General Hamilton warmly congratulated the men upon their work. Ho would mueheooner, he said, be behind the gun team than on the ship. The men could not have had. a worse day for the purpose, but it seemed to him that they had done remarkably well all the same.