Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-13
Inside 8 FiEhanr rurre,.s,,.


l once heard an old sailor who fongb,
In a monitor describe the sound N tbs
shots beating against the vessels nlatas
You know what Il is 10 be ia a LONG mil.
way tuunel-how Intensely dark II i
far darker than a starless night. and how
yellow and feeble the lights look We'll
1t Is much the same in the bowels az 1
turret-ship when all the hatchwavs are
closed. Oil lamps swinging from Tho
beams, but they give no luster, and each
hame seems like a little bit of yellow
floating in the air. The men grope about
and knock against each other. some
bearing ammunition to the elevator con.
Meeting with the turrets, others carving
coal from the bunkers to TIE furnacas
underneath the boilers. The engines
groan and rattle, and at times he can
tain's bell rings a sharp order to slacken
or increase the speed.
Meanwhile, if there has been n lnll in
the firing, the men move about feeling
very like a timid boy who is alone In 4
country lane after dark-not that thev
are afraid. The boy looks al every
shadow, thinking there ia a robber or y
k%idnapper behind him. The men any
iously wait each moment, not knowinr
what deadly surprise it may bring forth
And as the battle goes on, it is not
long before there is a ringing sound that
is calculated to fill the bravest and stronC-
est nerve with q momentary terror. n
is as through the inner deck and walls
we're falling in upon them, and for a H.
tie while they are unable to realize what
has happened-uncertain that thew are
not on their way to the bottom. Every
ear is stuug with the awful sound, and
every nerve is thrilled.
The great mass of iron seems TO tum.
BILE over or one side and moan with main
before the vessel rights herself again and
steadies herself for fresh exertions. Then
she returns the compliments paid her
with a vengeance. and her bulldogs in
the turrets bark and spit FIRE at the enc.
my uutil we pity that unfortunate, and
wish she would retire from the field.
The turrets are ranged along the deck.
They are about ten feet in diameter. Gf-
teen feet high, and each one is fastened
to a massive upright pillar Of iron pass
ing through the center and working in 3
socket on the lower deck. The pillar
is connected by a series of cog.wheels
with a steam engine, which causes it to
turn the turret in the direction the cap
tain requires.
Two small portfolios are cut in the
plates of the turret, and furnished with
solid iron doors. When the guns are to
be fired, they are worked on slides to the
portfolios, which reminds us ofthe mouth
Of a dogs kennel, and their noses are
pointed at the enemy. A second after
they have uttered their bark, they are
dragged in, and tbs doorsare closed, Just
in time, perhaps, to avoid two return
shots which crack like thunder on the
plates outside. While the guns are being
loaded again, the men are FASTENED by
the whistle and crash of the shot and
shell which strike the iron walls OF the
turret.
Above one of the turrets there is a lit
tie iron-clad p~ilot-house, whence the cap
tain direct the movements Of his vessel.
1t has no window, and the only outlooks
is through Sits, about an inch wide, in
the plates. The intrepid man, whose
position is the most dangerous Of all,
stands there throughout the thick Of the
! fight, controlling the rudder, the engines,
and the t%urrets, by a motion Of the hand
or the tinkle OF a bell.
You may remember what l told you in
a previous article-I am beginning 10
d look upon you as old friends, by the way
about Admiral Worden, the hero OF
the Monitor. He was watching the Mer.
rimack from the Sits in his little lookout
box, when a shell struck the outside and
knocked him senseless, All captains OF
turret-ships are exposed to such danger
as this, and even greater ones; indeed,
as | have said, their positions are the
most perilous,- W. II. Rideing.