GUNNERY v. PAINT.
[To TEE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR." J SIR,—In the Spectator of November 8th, referring to my article on "Gunnery v. Paint" in the National Review, in which I cite evidence of the fact that Admirals as a class do not make gunnery a primary consideration, you say :—" We should be sorry to think all Mr. White's allegations were capable of substantiation." I have just received from the Mediterranean information as to the shooting of two of the flagships which have recently concluded their prize-firing. Their scores are interesting. The Bulwark,' the new flagship of the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Squadron, fired 155 rounds from her twelve 6 in. guns with a score of 100 hits. The Empress of India,' the second flagship of the Home Squadron, fired 69 rounds from her ten 6 in. guns with 11 hits. The Bulwark's' percentage of hits to rounds is 65 per cent. The 'Empress of India's' percentage of hits to rounds is only 7 per cent. The Bulwark' hit the target rather more than four times in a minute. The Empress of India' only succeeded in hitting the target once in two minutes. If the scheme of a minimum standard of ex- cellence were established, it is obvious that the Empress of India' would be punished and the Bulwark' would be rewarded. But, as a matter of fact, the Empress of India'
will probably get paying-off leave like the Terrible' for being an exceptionally smart ship. Surely this question of naval gunnery requires looking into as closely as r•ifle-
shooting by soldiers.—I am, Sir, &c., ARNOLD WHITE. 2 Windmill Hill, Hampstead.
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