Page:The United States Army and Navy - including Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Hawaii (IA unitedstatesarm00chic).pdf/22



GUNNER’S GANG, MASSACHUSETTS.

The claim is not vauntingly made, for.

Tnis view shows a company of gunners at target practice handling a four-inch breecb-loading rifle on the gun deck.

it is generally admitted by nayal oflicers of all countries, that Americans are the best gunners in the world, a superiority of the highest importance, which largely edinpensates for the smallness of our navy. More depends upon the accuracy of the gunners than auy other element of success in naval war, This accounts for is as much value to his country as the admiral whose victories arc re-

Admiral Dewey’s victory at Manilla being without a parallel in history. The trained gunner warded by promotion and an undyiug place in his country’s history, Yet the gunner gets less than half the pay of the chaplain. The Spanish-American war demon-

strated beyond doubt that marksmanship is the chief element of success in naval warfare.