Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-14
CLEARING THE SHIP.
HOW MODERN wAR-vEssELs GET
READY FOR FIGHT.
The Process Set Forth SO That Land
Iubbers Can Understand It-De-
scription Written from Old Point
Comfort.


war or Of the processes by which they
are operated Very Illuminating, there
fore. Is the following bit Of description
by a correspondent OF Leslie's Weekly.
writing from Old Point Comfort:
Retiring time on board man-of-war
Is early. because Of the early rising hour
and the arduous labor of the day, and at
Q o'clock very nearly all the men, except
the few on watch, have retired. 1t was
shortly after o'clock on the flagship
Brooklyn. Forward, the hammocks were
swinging rocked gently by the roll OF the
ship. in the ward-room five or six oih-
GERS sat reading, chatting, and smoking.
On the quarterback Lieutenant Doyle
paced to and fro in silence, while in their
respective cabins Commodore Schley and
Captain Cook and executive officer Lieu
tenant-Commander Mason sat awaiting
a call that they alone knew would be
made. The ship, sleeping on the bosom
of the ocean, is in port dress and not
stripped for action.
"a steamers smoke on the port bow
reports the man at lookout on the bridge.
"AH right Can you make her out?"
answers the officer Of the deck.
"a man-of-war, sir" answers the look
out.
Messenger. tell the captain and Mr..
Mason" quietly responds Mr.. Doyle.
Mr.. Mason comes on deck. and. with
Mr.. Doyle. watches the boat through
glasses.
"Cau the musicians" says Mr.. Mason.
sharply. to the messenger, and the musi-
clans come. Still the big ship and its in
mates sleep, still the officers in the ward
room chat and smoke, while others have
already retired Still Mr.. Mason and
Mr.. Doyle keep the glasses up.
Sound the call 10 general quarters"
saws Mr. Mason, ana the drum rolls a
diapason to the trumpets shrill treble.
Then comes a transformation that knows
no equal for its suddeness Of action and
shifting of scene. From the quarters
pour forth men dressing themselves as
they come never waiting for shoes or
stockings The siren shrieks forth its
weird steam blast, the big gong clangs,
the drum rolls, and before their clamor
has ceased its echo every part of the
ship. from the depths OF the hold to the
top OF the military mast. is filled with ac-
tive, busting men. From both forward
and aft bridges the bright search-lights
have begun to work, and the rest OF the
fleet have. quicker almost than thought
been notified of the approach of an
enemy, and their search-lghts are aiding
i'm making brighter than daylight the
darkness in which torpedo-boat might
approach.
But Of the transformation Three min
utes and a half of what appears to be the
direst confusion, but which is really the
acme OF discipline and order, have
elapsed, and the commanders of the va
rious divisions report. Mr.. Rush, IN
command of the second division, in
Guiding the after S-inch turret and the
port S-inch turret, reports. IAN ready,
second division, sir" and following him
comes the report Of each division.
The great ironclad Is ready TO fight,
and the bugler blows "Silence!' while the
men, at a fearful tension. the most diff
cult, nerve-testing period Of the whole
situation, await orders.
What has occurred during the three
minutes consumed in putting this big en-
CINE of war in shape to hurl death and
destruction IS marvellous I'm its immensely
and a great tribute to the ability OF
Captain Cook and his corps of officers.
1t is hardly possible to recite its details,
but here are some of its features as no
ticed by me as an eyewitness: At the
note of warning 800 men have. in perfect
order, taken their various stations and
begun the work Of clearing ship for sc-
ton" In the three and one-half minutes
consumed they have closed over 20
water-tight doors, thus making compart-
ments that will keep the ship afoat, al
though some compartments may be In
jured. They have coupled all the hose to
the fre-plugs, covered the small boats
with wet canvas TO keep them from fly
ing spllnters If hit; put up splinter nets
of rope about the pilot-house gun-spon-
sons. and other exposed places; taken
down davits hand-rails. and anchor-da-
Wits, and laid them on deck so as TO give
the guns a clear sweep. removed every
thing movable or destructible from deck;
covered all matches with steel covers;
lowered all interfering yentilating pipes;
dropped overheard small boats, gang
ways, paint-tubs, and other deck furni-
ture; filed all division tubs with fresh
water; dashed the anchors more securely,
and furnished all the extra mechanical
devices necessary for the service of the
guns.
In the heart of the vessel the engineers
have coupled the four big engines and
turned steam on in the seYenty-fve
auxiliary engines. All Of the big boilers
have been fired up and the stokers are
pouring in coal; the dynamos have been
put I'm service to work battle circuits
the turret turning the engines tried; the
the ammunition hoist engines and steer
ing engines, fire pumps, and ventilating
and force draught blowers made ready.
Two thirds of the engineer corps stay in
the main engine and fre-rooms, and one
third 20 TO the auxiliary engines.
Magazines have been opened and pre-
paration made for ammunition shipment
to each Of the forty guns by the hoists
and cars prepared for fast delivery. In
the fighting tops Of the military mast the
men have hoisted up ammunition for
the oue-pounders, and are ready with
their guns. ON the bridges the signal
men. range finders, and search-light men
have made ready and are at work. In
the pilot-house, or conning-tower, the
men are at the wheel, and others at the
spealdng-tubes and other devices con-
trolling the ship by signal.
In the sick bay the surgeons have got
ten out cases Of glittering instruments,
rolls OF lint splints bandages, and other
grewsOme suggestions OF possible disas-
ter and death to some. In the torpedo
rooms gratings have been removed air
pressure turned on for the purpose OF
charging air TASKS; the heavy torpedoes
rolled in. and the tubes prepared. And
lastly. the American flag, Old Glory, that
has hoated from the flagstaff at the
stern of the ship, comes down with the
staff, while two Old Glories take its
place at the truck of each of the military
masts, the breeze whstling through their
folds defiance 10 an enemy.
Three minutes have elapsed. On the
forward bridge Commodore Schley and
Captain Cook stand watching the en-
emy's approach.
"Sllencer' blows the bugle. and there
H. death-like stiffness.
"Loadr comes another signal. and
there is a seconds hustle as the charges