4

2
the Intelligence Office has no data as to the comparative accuracy,
under the same conditions, of guns fired in broadside and those
fired at targets ahead or astern; nor am I aware of any adequate
reports from more advanced navies. It seems probable, however, that
the greatest source of bad firing, that which springs from frequent
and rapid changes of elevation of the piece through the rolling of
the ship, would be much lessened in those pieces. Even in the posi-
tion most unfavorable for broadside guns with the sea abeam or a
little forward of it, the guns lying fore and aft would be compara-
tively steady, the axis of the bore would swing through out a small
vertical arc.

As regards the ram it is hard to see how practical tests of a
very satisfactory character are to be made. We have been told that
ramming drills have been instituted in Russia between launches or
very small vessels, and such drills must be very much better than
nothing at all. It (must be something, nay it) is a good deal to
have learned the difficulty of hitting another boat on the wing, and
a very salutary lesson to have found your enemy in such a position
that you cannot dodge him. But from these mimic combats it is a
long step to the pilot house of a ram meant for the line of battle,
and handling her at a high speed among other ships. Nevertheless
good working maxims for ramming contests may be deduced from these
mimic contests.