The Holly chieftain., 1897-09-17
"cLEAR SHIP FOR AcTIoN.~
What Takes Place In Few Minutes on
One of IN. Modern Men-o'-Nar.

One of III. Modern Men-o'-War.
Once in awhile some landlubber, who
has been ITO sea on Long Island sound
in jib and mainsail boat. writes a sen
story, or, still more frequently. n sea
play. 1t is easy enough to fool people
about il all because nine-tcrths of the
world has never been at sea except on
a passenger steamer, where one never
hears an order shouted. and. naturally
enough, they all think il must be very
different on other kinds of ships, es-
I pecially men-of-war. Naval routine
and methods are Of course unknown
to the great body of the inhabitants
of any country. because when Jack and
his officers are most busily engaged in
drills they do not welcome visitors
aboard. So the nautical story writer
does not hesitate to call ''ali hands and
the cook" to ''man the lifeboat." while
the playwright has been known TO send
4 crew TO "uuarfe-s" to tack ship
aboard an armorcd steam cruiser. As
! for battles, they are fought on the stage
without any prrparrion whatever be-
Sond loading the guns. which is some
IL 'i''4lV S-sANS4AA -.
Jne OF our new ships very much as it
was done in tn time of Decatur.
Before going into a fight, however.
every war vessels crew hears the shrill
piping of the whistles of all her boat
swain's mates and the order clear ship
for action" In the oId-fashioned wood
en- ships this was a very big task. Top
gallant masts and light yards had to be
sent down. extra slings and preventer
stays rigged. and every precaution
taken to reduce the amount of hamper
aluft that might be shot away and fall
ON the heads of the men on deck There
is less of that sort Of work now beca .se
our new ships do not carry sail, but
there is plenty 10 he done about the
decks and inside the ship at the pre-
l;Ininary order before the loading OF
guns is begun.
The fundamental principles of clear
ing ship are first 10 get everything oui
of the way that can interfere with th'
free range Of her guns. and second, tc
remove everything not essential TO her
handling which cuu be shot away by
the enemy.
The bow staff. with all its rigging;
the anchor davit. and all the other gear
that is not necessary have been taker
away and slowed below. The anchors
of course, have to remain. as il might be
necessary to let one go, and they are
not bad dcfectors OF shot. either. The
turret has been turned to test the ma.
chinery, the cover has been taken of
the searchlight, and the flag has been
removed from the taffrail staff and run
10 the military masthead.
The crew is pretty nearly all out oi
sight. The two men in the fighting tot
are ther=-io i;andi- the rapid-fire gun
which is to pour down hail of shot
upon the enemy's deck The column OF
black smoke swirling out of the smoke
stack shows that the engineer force
is firing up. II the interior of the yes
sci could be shown it would he seen that
IA great amount of work has been done
For instance, all the motive power has
been tested, and the pressure has been
turned on for the turret-revolving ma.
chinery. ammunition. lifts, hydraulic
hammers, elevating gear. smoke fans
and dozen other things The maya
zines have been opened and the powder
division is ready to supply the guns
with charges. The gun crews are a,
their stations and ready to put the
great shells into the heavy ten-inch
guns. The navigator and all his di-
vision are ready to maneuyer the vessel,
and the surgeon has arranged his oper.
ating tables and implements for taxi
ing care of the wounded In short, the
ship is ready to fight.-N. Y. Times.