Syllabus of Examination for Candidates for Gunners in Companies and Detachments assigned to Mine Defense.

The following syllabus gives the outline of the scope of the examination of candidates for gunner in companies and detachments assigned to mine defense. It is not intended that the theoretical instruction in any subject shall be limited to what is indicated in this syllabus, but the examination for candidates for gunners will be closely confined thereto.

SECOND-CLASS GUNNERS.

(a) Ammunition, Nomenclature, and Service of Guns assigned to the Company of which the Candidate is a Member.

Duties of the cannoneer and nomenclature of the piece to which assigned. (Note: If not assigned to a piece, or if the company is assigned to different pieces of different calibers, the candidate will be examined upon the piece of the caliber selected by the company commander.)

Describe the ammunition and name all the projectiles used for the piece upon which examined.

(b) Material of and Duties in the Loading Room (except electrical principles involved).

What apparatus is used in making a Turk's head? A telegraph joint? A joint to be used under water? Name all the parts of an assembled mine. Name all the parts of a compound plug and explain how to load one. What is a cut-out plug? Explain how to prepare a cut-out plug and box. What apparatus is used in preparing a compound plug? How are mines numbered? How are mooring pipes prepared, and what are the rules for lengths of mine cables and of mooring ropes?

What apparatus is taken out in the grand-junction box-boat? How and in what way are the cores of cable numbered? How is a mine, together with its attachments, arranged on a boat for planting? Name the apparatus on the boat used in planting and raising mines. What are the duties in the triple-junction box-boat in planting and in raising mines, and what precaution is taken so that cables may be distinguished when box is raised? Explain how soundings for a triple group are made.

(d) Cordage.

Name the important knots used in mine work and explain how to make four of them. The mooring rope of a heavy weight cannot pass over the winch, but lifting must be done with the fall; explain the method of proceeding.

(e) U. S. Magazine Rifle.—Nomenclature of the piece, kind and weight of powder used, description and weight of projectile, muzzle velocity. Setting of sight for range and deflection.

FIRST-CLASS GUNNERS.

(a) Care and Preservation of Mine Material.

Name the supplies necessary for cleaning mine material. Name those used in preserving it, stating for what each is used, and how certain ones (to be selected by the examiner) are applied.

(b) Handling High Explosives.

What high explosives are used in mines? What are the important precautions to be taken in loading mines? How is frozen dynamite thawed? Where is the main supply of explosive kept, and how much is taken out at one time to the explosive house near the loading-room?

Names of important parts. Set up the instrument with given data. Read angles from instrument. Act as observer. Act as reader.

Describe a plotting board. Explain the method of computing the time from any plotted point to a mine. Act as plotter.

(d) Batteries, Generators, and Searchlights assigned to the Company of which the Candidate is a Member.

Name the batteries used in mine work. Describe the casemate battery. What precautions are necessary in keeping it in order? What is used as the signal battery in mine work? Describe a searchlight. Describe parts of generators and important points to be observed in caring for them.

(e) Apparatus and Operation of Casemate Switchboard and Care and Use of Telephone.

Name the apparatus of the switchboard. 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 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.

3. The army is composed of the following divisions: The line and the staff. The line is composed of Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Engineers, etc. The staff of Quartermaster Dept., Commissary Dept., Ordnance Dept., Signal Corps, Pay Dept., etc.

4. The artillery in our army is organized as a corps of Coast Artillery composed of 169 companies and 6 regiments in the Field Artillery.

5. A battery of coast artillery consists of two or more guns or two or more pits of mortars.

6. A fire command is composed of two batteries or more whose fire sweeps the same area or adjoining areas; this fire is controlled by one man, called the fire commander.

7. A battle command is two or more fire or mine commands sweeping the same or adjacent areas; this commanded by one man—the battle commander.

8. 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.

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.


Entries of the first column:
A = 15 pdr. R. F. (all models)
B = 4-inch and 4·72-inch R. F.
C = 5-inch R. F., models of 1897 and 1900
D = 6-inch Ordnance Department R. F., models of 1897, 1900, 1903, and 1905
E = 8-inch rifle
F = 10-inch rifle, models of 1888, 1895, and 1900
G = 12-inch rifle, models of 1888, 1895, and 1900
H = 12-inch mortar, models of 1886 and 1890:
H1 = At batteries to which only one company is assigned
H2 = At batteries to which two companies are assigned

	Full Service Charges.					Additional
						Primers for Drill.
Guns, Caliber	Trial Shots.		Record Shots.		Sub-	Service	Drill
and Model.					caliber.	Primers.	Primers.
	1st	2d	1st	2d
	Pract.	Pract.	Pract.	Pract.
A	3	3	10	10	3000	160	800
B	3	—	10	—	900	225	225
C	3	—	10	—	900	60	400
D	3	3	10	10	900	60	400
E	3	3	6	4	600	60	400
F	3	3	6	4	600	60	400
G	3	3	6	4	600	60	400
H
H1	3	3	16	16	150	100	400
H2	3	3	16	16	300	200	800

Note.—All projectiles will be service weight and form, cast iron only, or such projectiles as are specially designated for target practice. Companies which cannot have subcaliber practice at home station have only one-half the annual subcaliber allowance.

12-inch Mortars.—The number of zones, muzzle velocities corresponding thereto, zone limits, width of zones and overlaps for the 12-inch mortar, cast-iron, steel-hooped, and the 12-inch mortar, steel, have been rearranged and are now as shown by the following table:

Column headings:
A = Number of Zone.
B = Muzzle Velocity.
C = Weight of Projectile.
D = Zone Limits.
E = Width of Zone.
F = Overlaps.

	12-inch Mortar, Cast-iron, Steel-hooped.					12-inch Mortar, Steel.

A	B	C	D	E	F	B	C	D	E	F
	F. S.	Lbs.	Yds.	Yds.	Yds.	F. S.	Lbs.	Yds.	Yds.	Yds.
1	560	1046	2225-3000	775	400	550	1046	2210-2970	760	370
2	610	1046	2600-3480	880	480	600	1046	2600-3431	831	361
3	670	1046	3080-4110	1030	400	660	1046	3070-4030	960	399
4	743	1046	3710-5000	1290	400	725	1046	3631-4800	1169	371
5	837	1046	4600-6240	1640	400	810	1046	4429-5940	1511	420
6	910	1046	5840-7319	1479	594	915	1046	5520-7476	1956	449
7	1050	824	——	——	——	1050	1046	7027-9250	2223	492
8	——	——	——	——	——	1300	824

Note.—Each smokeless powder cartridge to have 10-ounce igniter (black rifle powder) at each end in addition to above charges.

All smokeless-powder charges for mortars will be issued made up, ready for use, as the charges vary with each lot of powder. They will be distinctly marked to indicate the zone number.

(a) SERVICE OF THE PIECE.

Q. Give the general duties of a gun commander.

A. The gun commander repeats the commands "Commence firing" and "Cease firing," announces the kind of projectile to be used, the order to fire, the method of pointing, and in restricted fire the number of shots and the firing interval, all in accordance with the orders of a battery commander. The gun commander is responsible to the battery commander for the condition of the material and the efficiency of the personnel of his command.

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; that the kind of projectile designated by the battery commander is used, and that the breech detail observe great care and caution in sponging out and wiping breech mechanism and recess free from powder residue, dirt, etc., after each round fired.

Q. Describe how to signal elevate or depress.

A. Elevate: Raise either hand to the height of the head, fingers pointing upward. Depress: Raise either hand to the height of the head, fingers pointing downward.

Q. Describe how you would signal traverse right or traverse left.

A. Motion with either hand, fingers pointing in the required direction.

Q. Give the signals for the following: Clamp or Halt; Ready.

A. Clamp or Halt: Raise either arm to a horizontal position, fingers closed. Ready: Raise either arm vertically to its full extent, fingers extended.

Q. How would you signal stand fast with the whistle at a rapid-fire gun?

A. One blast signifies stand fast, the pause being of sufficient duration to enable orders to be correctly given and received; to resume operations the command "Go on!" will be given. Other signals may also be used.