The San Francisco call., 1896-03-15

the navy yard, where they found the Com
anche ready for her departure. The Mark
ham hooked on the shorelines were cast
off and the trip began.
The monitor was little rusty from her
long sleep, and the rudder-chains ran
creakingly through their sheaves, but she
swung around to her helm, and the water
rippled along her sides as she went out
into the stream. Captain H. n. Turner, the
father of Lieutenant-Commande Turner,
took the wheel, with two seamen, to over
come whatev er tendencies the Comanche
might have to ram the Independence as
she passed down the straits. All the steam
W histles of the yard blew the monitor q
good-by," and her old moorlng place was
vacant; anu on san Pablo Bay the TIDE, ueg1n-
ming its ebb, helped the tow, and the great
mass was dragged along at good speed.
The Monadnock went by about mile
to starboard dipping her ensign in SIS
terly salute. During all the way down
Captain Turner, with his entire crew,
worked lndustriously getting his moorings
ready. They consist of large float weigh
ing several tons and ponderous $4,000
pound sinker, which will hold the monitor
against the southeasters and fierce tides of
San Francisco Bay.
Notwithstanding her age the Comanche
proves how well the Navy Department
takes care of its vessels. The engines are
as bright and clean as If they had been
placed in the hull yesterday, and the
roomy apartments below show where fresh
paint and the scrubbing- have been
used.
A machinist and fireman have been sta
toned in the monitor during her long rest
at the yard, and every day the boilers, en-
gine-room, turret and turret-chamber and
the guns have been examined. The engine
has been turned over, the turret revolved,
the battery run out and in. Three men,
enlisted at Mare Island for special service,
will remain aboard and continue to care
for the vessel and her machinery. They
will also exercise diligence in guarding
against fire, for which an alarm will be
given by the rapid ringing of the ships
bell and the closing of the ports and
matches to prevent any draft of the flames.
The steering wheel of the Comanche is
on top of the turret, where is also located
the iron conning-tower for the accommo-
dation of the helmsman when shot ana
shell are whistling painfully near him.
The turret itself holds the two big, old-fash
ioned smooth. bore 15-inch guns that were
considered dangerous quarter of CEN
tury ago. Their muzzles, when run out,
look through two narrow slots at the world
around them.
The guns do not protrude through the
wall of the turret as in the Monterey and
Monadnock, but fit snugly against the port
to fill up the aperture, thus preventing the
smoke of the discharge from blowing back
into the turret and suffocating the gun
ners. The pieces have the appearance of
being sawed off like an express messengers
shotgun. The guns are moved and the
turret revolved by compressors and levers
Wit ha cfr
around on central pivot carrying the two
great guns easily and smoothly in an en-
tire circle at the will of the operator.
The vessel has much more deck room
than the Monterey or Monadnock, being
more convenient to the crew as an open
drilling place. She is fitted with the four
handsome black boats belonging to the
battalion, besides the fine, swift steam
launch received few days ago from the
hayward.
Besides the heavy mooring, float and
sinker she is provided with mushroom
shaped anchor, which is drawn up through
a well in the hull near the stem, when the
Monitor is under way. 1t is never visible
when the vessel is afoat and its existence
is only known by its weight on the cable.
The only thing in poor repair is the deck,
which is rotten as punk, but as the plank
ing is laid upon an iron deck there is no
danger of the naval reserve going down be-
low through the seams. An effort has
been made to protect the deck by thick
coat of tar covered with sawdust, which
gives the big platform a sort OF prize-ring
appearance.
Captain Turner and his officers and crew
took charge of the ironclad like old men,
of-war's men. The young fellows worked
faithfully and cheerfully all day at the
difficult labor Of getting the cumbersome
moorings ready, proving that the States
Naval Battalion has the right stuff in it.
and would make good showing. should
they be called upon to fight their craft
against hostile ship.
Lieutenant-C Com mander Turner is
master mariner, a practical seaman, and is
enthusiastic in his efforts to bring the re-
serve up to high standard of proficiency,
consequently he is pleased that the naval
militia has q drill ship, even If her battery
and herself is of past day.
At the entrance to San Francisco Bay
the Comanche was joined by her new
steam launch. having on board Colonel
James, the inspector Of the battalion, and