Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-11-19
ANNAPOLIS MD, WEDNESDAY EVENING,

case of foullng, ripping torpedo gear,
opening magazine, and all is ready. AT
Quarters the gun crews cluster behind
the steel shields of their respective guns.
The order Load with battering shell is
given, and the breech blocks are thrown
open. six thousand yards, abeans"
comes the order, as an officer with
sextant gives the range, and FIRST Divi-
sion train ahead The sunlight slips
along the blue steel tubes "a they are
rapidly revoTved in obedience to the
command There is no noise, no talk.
AS the long guns come to rest in direc-
ton parallel to the keel. the officer of
the division raises his right hand. signi-
flying that the order has been executed.
The eye of the alert executive catches
edged by a nod. In place of the hand
to hand encounter with boarders, with
its unsatisfactory and improbable result,
the gun captains, after the sighting and
training exercises are completed. are
given an order equivalent to Whenever
YOU see head hit it. The idea in this
is to train the eye and judgment of the
men who pull the lock strings. Instruc-
tions with torpedo appliances and ma
nipulation and care of the many other
innovations of modern naval warfare
dispIace the old time exercises.
One thing that Jack finds it hard to
get used to on the new vessel is the un-
assuming manner in which the anchor
is gotten up Accustomed to consider
ing this quite an event, and quite job
as WELL the steam capstan has robbed it
of both attributes. No more whirling
around of the bars to some merry tune
of the fife. 1t is not even ecessary to
call all hands The officer of the bridge
presses an electric button, the steam
capstan is put into motion. ani in a few
moments the massive anchor is dan
Cling from the cats head.
The mariner accustomed to gun decks,
whose long wide sweep was wholly
clear, save for the row of Dahlgreen
guns gaping through the port holes, is
Disconnected to find on the Philadel-
phia his vision limited to few square
feet Golfer dams and coal scuttles re-
strict him in one direction, water tight
compartments and steam drum rooms
shut him in in another. Among other
things Jack here finds something new in
his sleeping arrangements. The bed
room of his experience was berth deck
unobstructed from the bulkhead to the
forward part Of the ship On the Phila-
delphia he finds himself cloistered in
various hooks, in the torpedo compart-
ment, ordnance storeroom, hold
wherever, in fact, there is room for
two hammock hooks and space to swing
between. The shrieking whistle, or
siren. as it is facetiously termed. is used
as an alarm in cases of sudden danger,
such as collision, etc., and is a signal to
close all compartments. Should this oc-
cur at night many sleepers would find
themselves inclosed in temporary sweat
boxes.
AT nightfall at sea in place of the
old time call of the boatswain's mate,
Get out the running lights, station the
deck lookouts, the signal quartermaster
at sundown simply turns button at the
foot of the foremast and an electric
light is distilled through its green bulb
on the starboard side Another button
is turned and red one flashes from the
port side. One more, and the steaming
light streams like the headlight of a
locomotive from the foremast head.
Such, briefly stated, are few of the
most striking changes. but there are in
Vulnerable others. -[Correspoldent New
York Times