The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-11-04
CARE ON 4 WARSHIP.
HOW HIGH EXPLOSIVES ARE STORED
ON A BRITISH VESSEL.

rately Into the Ship.
The British navy has not been without
its Maine disasters, though fortunately
these have been unattended by any qUcs-
tons of foul play, and they have taught
us lesson. The last such catastrophe
was in 1882, when the gunboat Dottercl
was sunk and l45 lives lost through an
explosion in one OF her magazines.
Since that time great attention has been
paid 10 the storing Of high explosives on
board all the ships of our navy. The mag
azinCs arc now huge iron tanks built sep
aratcly into the ship The sides, bottom
and crown of these are made of thick steel
plates weighing ten pounds to the Square
foot. These plates are lap Jointcd ana
strongly rivCtCd.
Should any side OF the back OF a coal
bunker be exposed, that side is built of
plates thar weigh 12l2 pounds to the
square foot This additional strength IS in
order to prevent any explosion of coal gas
that laay occur in the bunker from tear
ing open the magazine. Further the
plating is stiffencd with heavy bars that
make all parts of the surface of equal
strength should the magazine be placed
near the engines or in any other place
where there is II high temperature, it is
coated with asbCstuS. Electricity Is used
for lighting purposes
All the lights are in what are called
eight boxes" placed outside, the light
penetrating into the magazine itself
through thick glass iIluminators, which
are protected by gratings OF brass wire.
The keys of these boxes are kept by the
gunner Of the ship. Near them is Il stock
e ,.,alI- fFl in rho q loo
tric current should fail. Entrance to the
magazine is from the top, but out of what
Is termed the handling room. The hatch
Of this is in line with the crown Of the
magazine, and the floor OF the room is lead
covered.
For vcntilating purposes air is pumped
in at tie bottom and passes out through a
specially constructed UEtallc. hut on very
dry days ar is let into the magazine nat
urally in order to prevent too much moist
urc accommodating on the cases and thus
causing the powder to detCricratc. IL an
engagement the magazines would be kept
closed down, so as TO prevent the enemy
shot from entering them, and air would
be pumped in or the men working inside
could live but q very fCw minutes. Before
entering the magazine the mon have to
leave behind them their knives, pipes and
matches and 10 put on s!)rCllI BOOTS t!lII
arn studded with brass nails.
With the old fashioned powder a si2rh
caused by the friction OF Il nail in ones
boot with the floor was sufficient to cause
an explosion Nowadays there is far !, :
danger of accident. Many of the c-pio
sivcs now used will only ignite ny dcI0na-
ton. PrSmatic and pebble powders il st
on fire will frizzlc away like u fuse, while
! handled Wit nrfiirlnpN j.
quite harmless.
Ail the bays--i G., rccesses--arc marked
with the number of cases that are to be
slowed in them. and they are provided
with strong wooden uprightS to prevent
the eases from being thrown out OF place
BY the motion OF the ship. The doors Of
al the magazines open outward, 50 that If
in Il violent storm the cases broke loose
they would NOT block the entrance. No
fuses, tubes or other articles that contain
their own means Of ignition are ever
slowed in magazines. All such articles
are placed in special storerooms far away
from the powder. Quick firing ammuui-
ton cartridges Tor machine guns and rifles
and dry gun cotton also have their scpa-
rate compartments.
All magazines are fitted with flooding
arrangement so that, should the snip
catch fire, they cain he at once filled with
water No one but a responsible officer is
ever allowed to handle the keys, ana he
must first obtain permission from the cap
tair The heaviest charges are placed
nearest the doors. In the cid days the
powder monkey used to carry the cart
ridges from the magazine to the guns il Il
case Now the ammunition goes up Il
hydraulic lift that works On armorcd
-. ir y,-pttlI hn ~ jt'rl--i-
hili,y. as some of the charges weigh $50
pounds. Tanks containing fresh water
anu drinking cups are liked in the Kan
ding room for the use OF the men, and all
the loors are sprinklcd with water before
work brgins.
Speaking tubes lead from outside the
ma2azimcs-which. by the way, are usual
~ below the water iirc-to the gun decks,
the bridge and the coming tower.
There is Il quarterly examination Of the
dry gun cotton to ascertain whether aCid
= accommodating. II ii is the explosive
Is at once saturatCl! with water. Wet gun
cotton, being 4 very safe material, is kept
i'll AN ordinary storcroom and is weighed
periodically to detect deterioration. plug
being ut the same time removed IN order
that gas may escape The ''warhcads' of
the Whitehead torpctiocS, being filed with
wet gun cotton, are slowed by themselves
and tested in the manner just described.
But the pistols, u which contain dry -un
cotton, and the dctonatorS Tor ignitinG the
wet gun cotton in the torpcdocs are placed
together in compartment that can be
flooded if necessary.
Tho only other dangerous explosives
carried by our warships arc the filled
shells, which are given Il place to them
selves None but the most stubborn fuses
arr fitted to these, unless they arc ut the
gun and ready to be fired. Their danger
OH, nature is indicated by their red paint
cd heads and the broad rcd band around
them Scamen are trained to handle them
with the utmost care. Even signal lights
and rockets are kept carefully out of the
way of Irresponsible persons. In fact, CIV
err. possible prccauti0n IS taken to pre-
vent an accident with explosives occur
RIG On any If our ">hips.--Invention.
4 no8:.l r:ntrro"z:.
The plateloGm at Marlborough House
contains al enormous amount of yalu-
able property. 1t is absolutely fireprCof
and always guarded with unceasing
vigilance. The floor is tiled, the fit
tirSs mahogany Round the room,
reaching from floor to ceiling, are the
cases, each about three feet deep. In
the center of the room is Il special case,
matching the others. This was con-
structed in the silver wedding year TO
receive the enormous amounts Of pres
tnts given to the prince and princess.
1t is lined with plain blue cloth.
1t is i'll this room that the special din
ner services-one of which is the finest
in existence-are kept, besides the silver
for ordinary use. Here, too, are TO be
seen presentation services, centerpieces,
salvers, TASKS, tankards, yacht racing
cups and Christmas, Easter and christ