The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-10-01
Gales aa0 5ketebes.
ADVENTURES OF A THTRTY-TWo
POUND SHOT. ~

The affair which occurred in the har.
Dor of Toulon, in the spring of 1884
when, in firing q salute in honor of the
French kings birthday, some shot from
the United States frigate United States,
struck the French Admiral's ship, and
killed one or two men, made some noise
at the time, but is now scarcely remem-
bered, except as one of tbose accidents
which often occur in naval experience,
and which the experience, and which the
strictest discipline and the most eau
tious vigilance may not always prevent
The first lieutenant is consideredrespon
sible for the discipline of the ship but
much of hat responsibility must be, if
We may SO express it, merely technical ;
there are many minute details, in refer
ence to which the most v~igilant and
competent officers must rely upon sub
ordinates, who may not always be trust
worthy aud a slight neglect in these
details may derapge for the moment the
best conceived plan, and produce events
az serious as thatnwhieh4ocearred- at
TouloD. It was the loss of life and not
the unfrequeucysofwtho tho oenormity of the
accident at .Toulon, that gave it an air
of national importasee; for such things
have occurred before more than once,
as well in our-serEiee-ss in the naval
service of other coantfies, without excl
ting remarks beyond ths-spot where it
happened 1FSsse remarks led me to
relate an. aneedote communicated By a
naval officer detailing an Incident which
belongs to this class . fnayal causalties /;
and which might haye had as tragical a
termination as that at Touion, but ter
minating differently may now serve to
excite a snileS or amuse a passing hour.
The scene is laid in the harbor of
Smyrna. The UbiteaS States sroop Of
war Ontario, returned from a cruise in
the Archipelago, put into Smyrna, in the
month of February, 1881, on the eve of
Washington's birthday The Ontario
dropped anchor in the spacious harbor,
outside the immence feet of shipping
which is always to be found in that
great eastern mart. In the distance
was to be seen the city, it's port enli-
veEed by merchant vessels of almost ev-
cry nation, and between them and the
Ontario, a number of British, French,
and Dutch ships of war.
On the morning of the 22nd, the gal
liant sloop was dressed out with flags fly
ing from every masthead, in honor of
the Father Of his Country and Cap
tain s. went ashore to transact
business with the American Consul, Mr..
OHey, leaving orders for the customary
o~bservances of the day. The first lieu
tenant accordingly directed that prepa-
rations should be made for the birthday
salute, by drawing the shot from the
guns. In executing this service, the
routine is to draw the shot and lay it
alongside the gun ; SO that the officer,
in passing along to see that the duty
had been performed, observing the shot
is satisfied of the fact. On this occasion
it happened that the cabin guns were
drawn first, and to avoid numbering the
cabin, were directed to be carried away.
One Of these shot it seems, from c~arless-
ness or hurry, was laid alongside one of
the guns 10 the waist, before the gun
had been drawn and to this slight cir.
cumstancelaere owing the mischances oss
the d~ay.tEsaaees ire
While the salute was firing, the atten-
tionzof the frst lieutenant was attracted
BY the report Of n of the guns, and he
immediately called out
"GunnerT that gun had a shot in it,
"No,sir,p7t the gunner replied, i" there
is the shot alongside the gun"
No matter for that" said the lieu
tenant, al am satisfied from the sound,
hat the gun Wasshotted." E
81 do pot think SO, sir" rejoined the
gunner, q but at any rate the guns are
SO depressed that the shot could do no
EEI--
The guns had been depressed to pre-
vent damageato the neighboring ship
ping from the wadding.
The salute was fred, and the first
had gone below, leaving the
second lieutenant in charge of the deck.
While the officer was pacing the deck,
.unconcious of impending evil, he OBJ
served a boat pulling off from a Dutch
gun-brig, their nearest neighbor, and
steering for the Ontaro. She was soon
alongside, and a Dutch lieutenant step
ped upon the deck, with strong symp-
of CONSERVATION in his demeanor.
Mein Got, sir" was the first saluta-
tion, "you fred a shot into US just now,
which carried away u main peam, and
almost kilt a man."
The American officer expressed his
deep regret at the accident, and request
ed the Dutch officer to be seated, while
he communicated the circumstance to
the first lieutenant.
I'll, do you know we've shot a
Dutchman this morning ?"
"Shot q Dutcbman impossible
cried the lieutenant.
UTk,a a faek-here's an officer from