Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-11-27
GQlOttester Daily SPY



REFLECTIONS OF oRPHEUs C. ON OUR NAVAL
ARTILLERY.
Let me change my subject, and
relate the great triumph of our new naval ar
tillery on Duck Lake, which majestic sheet of
water has returned to earth with the late rains
Rear-Admiral Head, my boy, has so i'm
proved the deadly swivel-gun of the Mackerel
iron plated squadron, that it will send ball
some distance without kicking the gunner
overheard. The secret of this Improvement
is known only to the government my boy, and
will be used to advantage when our CORY con-
fictw with combined Europe comes off 1t was
on Thursday morning, my boy, when an en-
thusiastic military mob, consisting of Capt.
William Brown, Capt. Bob Shorty, and my
SELF stood once more upon the familiar shore
of Duck Lake. The squadron, which has
been named the Secretary Welles," having
been launched upon the treacherous element
by Rear Admiral Head and one Mackerel, we
took out our piece of smoked glass and pre-
pared for the naval pageant. We could plain
ly see the stern old Rear Admiral busting
about on the gallant Grandmother of the Seas,
as | may term the noble craft and hear him
swearing in his iron-plated manner
Fracture my turret," says the old sea dog,
elf l don't think this gun will surpass the
Armstrong; blockade me if l don't"
When it became the duty of the solitary
Mackerel crew to load the awful instrument
of destruction, it was discovered that the ram
rod had been left behind at the navy yard
foundry. This nautical disaster might have
married the experiments, had not the rear adj
miral CHANGED to have his brown bingham
umbrella along with him. This was used as
hammer, and the experiment proceeded.
The first charge was twenty pounds of pow
IL, Z A.
out of the touchhole. The ball slightly
touched the water and went down, the recoil
of the squadron being only the width Of Duck
Lake.
The second shot was made with only one
pound of powder, as it was feared that the
rudder might be strained by too much concus-
sion, and we saw the ball drop into the ocean
wave. AT this shot the Secretary Welles"
only hoped out of the water few inches.
The third shot was made with half pound of
powder, as it was not deemed advisable to do
too much damage to the surrounding country
by the gunnery. We were gazing intently at
the merciless implements Of DEATH through
our smoked glass, when this shot was fired,
and suddenly beheld phenomena, my boy,
which made us catch our breath. Mixed up
with the fire and smoke, there emerged from
the swivel gun what appeared to be an i'm
nenSe brown nlfu OF some KIM spreading ltS
huge wings as it came out and skimming
YEARLY to the shore.
Captain Bob Shorty commenced to quake,
and says he:
''Its confederate insect"
"No" says William, lowering his smoked
glass, and speaking in most solemn whis-
per. 'It is the distracted bird of our coun-
try floating spectraily on the battle-smoke.
Ali" SAYS William, abstractedly uncorking
my canteen, ''our distracted bird is no in
seck!"
Was it indeed majestic eagle my boy,
STOPPING from his clouded heights to sanctify
the terrible naval scene? l guess not, my
boy-I guess not, my boy, for we presently
ascertained that when the Mackerel crew
ranmed home that last charge, he heedlessly
left RearA dmiral Heads brown Bingham UNI
brea sticking in the gun; and it was the
flight of the umbrella we had witnessed.
Umbrellas, my boy, and horses, may be
said to have some relations. We put one up
when it rains, and we rein the other up when
we put"