The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-03-18
blowers were started and voice-tube1

f In less Lnan q dozen minutes the eY-
5ecutive reported to the captai in, e S hip
ready for action, sir, "a and then fol-
lowed the inspection to see if anything
had been neglected.
And ready she was
The decks had been cleared of every
obstruction that would have hindered
the fighting Of the battery or the expe
dltlous killing Of an enemy. Ventil-
ators had been removed, boats had
been rlgged in and sails passed under
ana around them to check the flight Of
spllnters. The ship was lying just then
WhI pe7re the boats could not have been
lowered. Had she been at sea and pre-
pairing for actual battle the boats
would have been lowered and sent
adrift. This is made mandatory by ma
val gulations, as it is ANTICIPATED that
the rapid-fire guns of an enemy would
soon ao'of make kindling wood Of every boat
carried on ship-board while the vessel
is in action. .s3
The absence Of any boats increases
danger, for steel-clad ships have, like:
faistaff, AN alacrity at sinking when
| MT by torpedo or struck by ram.
put the risk of being drowned must be,
| taken like that of other risks of war
| rare. lighting cannot be made a safe
business llsl+rl is the philosophical con
| cluslon reached by the officers who.
nave considered this problem of boats
ana advised the disposition mentioned.
With the executive officer at his side,
the captain made an inspection Of the
| snip. Then, when he had finished his
rounds. visiting every section Of the
big fighting-machine, he reappeared on
| deck, and moment later the sharp
rat-a-tat-tat of the drum was heard
and the crew went scurrying to quar-
tiers. Eszj
Cast loose and providel'' shouted
the executive officer. The men, antici-
patlng the order, were already at work
casting loose the battery. Down be-
low, some We're opening magazines and
others were on the platforms hosting.
up charges for the big guns.
Man the starboard battery shift.
| pivot to starboard!'' Is
| This was the next command. and the.
turret guns, which had been trained.
ahead and astern, were swung to a.
point abeam.
Load, full service charges, common
/ shell!''
Dummy charges were rammed home
ana then came the order to train three
I points abaft the beam and to open fire,
on an enemy 1000 yards distant.
Primers snapped and an imaginary
broadside sprang toward the horizon.
An enemy appeared on the port side.
and around went the turret guns ana
across the wide deck the crew seamn-
D cred in obedience to the order. ssMan
the port battery!" There was more
loading and firing, then an order TO
& prepare for raking fire from for
q ward, and behind turrets and guns.
anything that would offer prot ction
from the deadly end-on fire, the crews
Of all guns whose arc of train was not
! ahead clustered for. safety. The ship
d received the fire, and enemies appeared
on all sides.
Man all the guns!" was the com
mand as the foes thickened. At this
order the gun crews divided, one-half
A going to the port guns and one-half TO
4 the starboard.
While in this sore stress, with foes:
on every hand, and primers Swapping,
4 resonant defiance Of them all, and the.
4 locks of rapid-fire guns clicking Vi
4 aciously, fire must perforce break out.
4 It was located in the cabin by the ex-
ecutive officer, and to it there hurried.
a detachment from the divisions To-
i Gated near the danger. A magazine
q was adjacent, and seaman gunner
flung himself at the flood cock and
stood ready to drown the mine of exc
Eplosiyes slowed beneath if the order
3 should be given
q The fire was extinguished, the fire.
II lighters returned to their stations, and
B then a ram got in its work on the un-
engaged side and a collision mat was
placed over the imaginary wound. The
a steering gear was shot away, and all
most as quickly as the announcement
q had been made relieving tackles were
manned Shot-holes appeared in the
side, and shot-plugs were FASTENED to
the point indicated.
q captain OF No. 5, gunshot IN leg!
yelled the executive officer. The man
indicated, a sturdy looking young sea-
man gunner, Immediately pitched for
ward upon the deck, and the two aids
to-wounded bounced upon him, boun6
a tourniquet around the injured limb
& then tumbled him into a stretcher and
4 hurried him below. The second cap
tain Of the gun had promptly stepped
e into the place Of his wounded comrade
y and the first loader had taken his place
; as second in command of the piece An
other had moved into the place vacated
by the loader, and supernumerary
had taken 4 the place Of the last.
For alf-hoyr or so the crew was
j exercised in the art Of war, and moth
t ing was left to the imagination but
i blood and shrieks and wounds Then
! the retreat was sounded. followed a
: few minutes later by the order, s;Se-