ship for long periods under conditions of high heat and humidity. After some use, many Lee rifles developed bore and throat erosion, which was exaggerated by the Metford rifling chosen by the designer, and metal fouling due to unburned powder compounds, a problem intensified by substandard internal barrel finishing at the factory. The M1895 Lee was also the only military rifle to use Metford rifling, which British authorities had discarded because of its tendency to wear too easily when used with the smokeless powders of the day. Naval and Marine service use The M1895 Lee was carried aboard Navy ships for use by naval armed guards (bluejackets) and landing parties, and was the standard service rifle for enlisted Marines, both seaborne and guard forces. Fifty-four USN Lee rifles were recovered from the USS Maine, which was sunk in Havana harbor in 1898. These were eventually sold to Bannerman's, a military surplus dealer. Surviving examples seen of the confirmed Maine rifles have pitted receivers, which would be logical considering the salt water immersion in Havana Harbor. After the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, the M1895 was issued to marines of the First Marine Battalion aboard the naval transport USS Panther, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert W. Huntington.<ref name="DAU">Daugherty, Leo J., Pioneers of Amphibious Warfare, 1898–1945: profiles of fourteen American Military Strategists, McFarland Press, , (2009), pp. 22–27</ref> As far as is known, all Marine companies involved in the Cuba combat operations were equipped with the 6mm Lee rifle. In addition to service with the First Battalion, additional rifles were later distributed by navy quartermasters to elements of free Cuban forces revolting against the Spanish government.Millett, Alan R., Semper Fidelis: The History of the United States Marine Corps, New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., , 9780029215968 (1991), pp. 131–133 The Marine assault force had only just been issued their Lee rifles, and enlisted men aboard the Panther were hurriedly given lectures on operating and field-stripping their newly issued rifles aboard ship, along with ten 6mm rounds each to fire for familiarization purposes. During a four-day call at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and later during a two-week stopover at Key West, Florida Lt. Col. Huntington ensured that all enlisted Marines aboard the USS Panther underwent target practice on the beaches with the Lee rifle, as well as marksmanship training and small-unit battle drills. This last-minute opportunity for target practice and training proved fortuitous, as Cuban