PORT CHALMERS RIVALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 26

PORT CHALMERS RIVALS.

BIG GUN PRACTICE. That efficient company of garrison artiL* lery, the Port Chalmers Navals, at pre? sent encamped by tha. railway, paraded! under Captain Dodds and Lieutenant Crawford on Saturday for gunnery at Otago Heads.,. Owing to tho receipt oE ill tidings Lieutenant-colonel Allen waa absent, and Major Strong, second in com*mand of the Otago Division Garrison Artil* lery, d&eofcad operations. Captain Gard* nsr was chief umpire, ancTTjieutenanc Hickey, D.5.0., range officer onboard tho tow • outeide the Heads. Among tho many' visitors were kieu* tenants Ooofca and WBifca 1 and the Rev. W., M. Grant, whose son was taking an active part in tho proceedings. Captain Dodds. and Bis command hrecfl an instructional series of eight rounds front the 7in R.M.L. at the Neck battery. Something appeared to be wrong with the traverse of this gun, whioh seemed tohang, and the shooting was only fair. . In tha service practice, which followed, the results,, however, were highly satisfactory.. Of Captain Dodd's details, G.G.O. SLMI Montgomery, G.O. Gunner Eraser, and Gunner -Dodd, gunlayer, acquitted them* selvea smartly, the result berna that Oap* tain Dodd's shooting was well in the firetj grade, in spite of the hitch in the-, traverse-.. The mean range waa .3500 yards, and tha figure of merit .73ft. "With regard to concussion. ii is curious to note that visitors, and ev«n gunners 1 ,, put cotton-wool in Sheir ears. This is not! only unwise, but unnecessary. When neau a biff' <?un about to be discharged all tha bystander has to do is to open his mouth! when the gunJayer reaches for t&& lan^ yard. The explosion then, does not reacjft the ear drums, but escapes between. - the. parted teeth. Instructional "and service series were alsoi fired by Lieutenant Crawford and hjs folj* lowing at the 64-pounder at H,o_w_lett Pointj The Tatter series wais probably tue besf that h,£S ever been fired from- -this gun'and the firing did credit to Lieutenant Crawford, Sergeant Moir, Corporal l«bve^ and the layer of the stun* Gunner Jteenanri Not a point was lost for discipline. 1* lubs were registered for 15 shots, and the timef was good. The mean ranga wae_ 2l2jy yards, and the figure jOI mejit .8.. The a.&n Lady ' Roberta reaolusd! Fojft Chalmejret shortly after 1 p.IQ.- and tha Navafe ra| .turned "to camp. asefc * higJiTx fifuccesswl ~i*otioe.