The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-08-03
TURRET SHIP IN BATTLE.

IN IL monitor describe the sound OF the
shots beating ag .ias5 tha vessels plates.
Yon know Wh hat it is to be in q long rail
way tunncl-l. how intensely dark il is, far
DARKER than star!css night, and how
yellow AMI feeble the light look. Well,
1t IS much tiie same i'll the bowels of a
tilrrat ship, when all the h.tchways are
closed. Oil lamps swing from the beams,
but they give no luster, and each fame
looks like little bit OF yellow floating in
the air. the men grope abont and knock
against each other; some bearing am
aniSioi. to the elevator connecting with
the turrets, others carrying coal from the
buikers to the furnaces underneath the
boilers. The engines groan and rattle,
aud at tin2os the captains bell rings q
sharp order to slacken or Increase the
speed.
Meanwhile, If there has been lulI in
the firing, the men move about feeling
very much Ike tiinid boy who is alone
in a country lane after dar.l-not that
they are afraid. The boy looks at every
shadow, thinking there is q rol3ber OF a
kidnaper behind it. The men anxious
" await each moment, not knowing
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 brayest of heart
and strongest OF nerve with a momen-
tary terror. It is as though the inner
deck and walls were falling in upon
them, and for a little while they are un-
able to realize what has happened-un-
certain that they are not on their way to
the bottom. Every ear is stung with
the awful sound, and every nerve IS
thrilled.
The great mass OF iron seems to tum-
bic over on one side and moan with pain
before the vessel rights herself again
and stoadies herself again for fresh ex-
ertions. Then she returns the compli-
ments paid her with vengeance, and
her bull dogs in the turrets bari, and
spit Eie at the enemy until we pity that
unfortunate, and wish she would retire
from the field.
The turrets are arranged along the
deck. They are about 10 feet in diane
ter, Is feet high, and each one is fastened
to massive upright piller of iron pass
ing through the centre and working in a
socket on the lower deck The pillar is
connected by a series Of cog wheels with
q steam engine, which causes it to turn
the turrat III direction the captain re-
quires.
Two small port holes 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
port holes, which remind rs CT mouth
of dogs kennel, and their noses point
ed at the enemy. a second after they
have uttered this bark, they are dragged
in, and the doors 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 tr1rrets there is lit
tie iron-clad pilot house, whence the cap
tain directs the movements Of his yes
sci. It bas DO window, and the only out
look 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 en-
gines and the turrets by motion of the
hand or the tinkle of the bell
You may remember what told you i'll
a previous articIe-I an beginning to
look upon you as an old friend, by the
way-about Admiral Worden, the hero
Of the Monitor. lie was Watching the
Merrinack from the slits in his tile look
out box, when a shell struck the outside
and knocked him senseless. Ailcaptains
ofiurret- s!lip3are exposed to such dangers
as this, and even greater ones; indeed,
as have said, their positions are the
most peTilous.
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