The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-02-26
The MODERN wAR SHIP.

Crest LlLLaET the one " Con
trolls It ia Action.
Gone are the days of the dandy"
sailing frigate, OF the great three
declrers with line over line Of frowninE
ports, tier on tier OF blaclz-moutEed
cannon, the tail taPering masts and
heavenwurd-soariug pile on pile OF
snow-vhite canvass gone are the days
OF Cutlass aud bOardiuF-pilze, of the
close fighting. hand to hand, yard-Hrm
TO yard-arm, gun muzzls TO gun muzzls,
OF the rush OF boarders from sinking
hull TO eueIny's dsClzi gone are the days
of glorious Old Irousides, OF the Bon
homme Richard the Victory and the
sauCy Arethusa- One modern cruiser
could destroy a whole heet OF the old
wooden walls"
And what strange monsters are these
that have replaced them! What grim
] shapes these iron floating fortress Of
modern times, these things that glide
almost noiseIessly over the waves, pour
| ing out volumes of black smoke from
/ their great chimneyss churning a wake
I of strealzy milicy-white with the huge
[ blades OF their powerful propelierss and
/ cleaving the dark waters with their
l sharp massive rams, moving with the
! speed almost of a railway train ire
| aistibly onward against wind and tide,
! monsters of the sea such as the widest
. fancy of mythology never imagined
] With the change in ships has como q
| change in the life of the crews that man
| them, that sail them, that fight them.
| Jack has much more to learn now than
I had his sturdy ancestors The delicate
| and complicated machinery OF the
! modern war ship, the improved ord-
I nance, the deadly torpedOes1 the fright
/ full power of new explosives. and the
] use and manipulation of all tn csc
D means of defense and OtIeusc, call for
/ an amount of preparation and trimming
a. an.s
! lack Of which in time of war all the
I patriotism, courage and wealth in the
country could not make up FOR. Tt is
for the study Of the new conditions Of
I naval warfare, and the familiarizing 6,
particularly of officers with the novel
ties and improvements on the modern
! ships, that the squadron of evolution
was formed, and under the wise, pains
taking, and able management of its
commander Admiral Walker, excellent
service is being rendered to the navy
and to the country. The tremendous
range aud power of both great guns
and the so-caIled ''rapid-6gc" ordnance
every living thing, and even the thick
! steel sides of a battle snip are none too
/ strong to resist the hail of proiectiIes
that would be hurled against them in a
battle.
The responsibility of the ships cap
tain is greater now than ever, On his
Judgment and experience depend the
safety of his craft and the lives of the
/ crew, and one mistaken move on his
part may cause the destruction of the
vessel and give the victory 90 the enc
my. His post is one of great danger
/ although protected by the heavy walls
of the conning-tower, from whence he
- directs the course of the combat, IL Is
exposed, from its very position forward
on the deck, to the euemy's IRE, and
s calm and determined indeed must be
3 the courage of the man who in such
& hell of FIRE and devastation car
cooIly watch the IRE and communi
U cate his commands TO his 5ubOrdi
mates at the guns or in the bowcll
Of the ship, A touch of the but
e ton of one of the row Of electric bell
4 gives the order to Ere gun or torpedo
/ or peform some maneuver or evolution
| ready hands at the auuuuCia tors tele
2 / graph his orders to the eugine-roOm
. 1 while with word or gesture Ire direct
the course of the ship, and the steam
q steeriug-y revolves to port or star
board in the hands OF the yvell-traiue,
n quurtermaster. In the wild storm o
"a battle. here in the couuing-tower tn
q mind that governs all has its place
D I and for veal or woe, for life or death
81 for victory or defeat the thought tina
Z flashes over the wire, even 20 the utter
i most parts of the vessel, is born her
where lie the brains OF the ship.-HHl
y uer'H Weekly.