The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-23
CLEARED FOR ACTION
PREPARATIONS ON A SHIP FOR THE
LlFE-AND-DEATh STRUGGLE.

Superhuous Objects Thrown Overheard
: Engines At Work. Crews at the Guns-Er
ergy ut High Tension, and Death tn
Only Reasonable Probability In Sight.
"Clear ship for action!" is the com
mand from the executive officer. II
modern battle every one must expec
injury or destruction; he who does no
had better not 60 to sea In a modern
iron-clad. Some will escape death
but not many. In the engagement
between the Peruvian ironclad Huas.
car and the Blanco Encalada only fifty
of the Huascar's crew were uninjured
out of two hundred. One hundred
were killed and fifty wounded.
Continuing the survey of the inner,
human life of the ships, the spectator
would first note the bugle-call, and the
subsequent instantaneous rush to his
appointed station Of every officer and
man. The great end in view Is the
quickest possible use of the weapon
throwing power. The magazines and
the breeches of the great guns are the
centres Of action. The conning-tower,
or little round room made of metal a
foot thick. with sNts for observation,
is the centre Of thought, for the cap
tain stands there with his aid and d.
reefs the battle by means Of speaking
tubes and electricity.
First Of all, the decks are cleared of
every obstacle that would embarrass
the rapid passage of ammunition from
the magazines to the guns. All ships
are full Of objects that are to be
thrown overheard before going into ac-
ton. Tanks Of turpentine, alcohol,
varnish. carboys Of acid, must all fly
over the side. Then the ships hose is
to DO attached to all connections, and
when action has begun the steam pump
is started and kept running. All NOV
able bulkheads and lockers which
might interfere with the working Of
any portion Of the battery are put out
Of the way. Only those ladders which
are absolutely necessary are left in
place, the others being hung over the
side or carefully placed apart. All
compasses and binnacles except one
are sent below. Hammocks are furl-
ed; awnings - wetted and used in
certain expos4 faces as barricades or
shields, but it Is not expected they will
do much against modern bullets.
Each great gun and small gun has
Its officer and group OF men behind it /
to work 1t. Its big iron covering,
like large hood. shield some OF the
men (but not all) from the fire of the
enemy. They must expect their own
death or that Of their opponents. All /
the ammunition hoists are Immediately
put to work. Shell and charges are
hurried like lightning to every breech-
loading gun. Boxes Of ammunition
are whisked up aloft into the fighting
tops of the military masts. The end
less mechanisma Of The great guns and
their turrets must be set going like a
lash, whether by steam, hydraulic,
pneumatic or electrical power. The
lower decks, being dark, are often
whitewashed. II there be time to do 80,
IN order to make all objects on them
more visible. Cots or chairs are rig
sed for lowering the wounded below,
where the surgeons operating tables
ire covered with lint and steel instru-
nents. The engineers are below, do
ng their human best with the ships
Tres, and II shell should reach one
# their boilers Heaven help theml
And now, with the big crew on tho
upper deck separated into small groups
behind the various guns, all expectant,
raining the glistening brass sights on
he enemy-the centre OF the opposing
mass near the water is the best place
o aim for-the battle is on the point
II beginning. Uniforms are not worn
With neatness or precision on these &C.
asions. Some men are stripped to
he waist and officers are in their shirt
leeves. The ships have approached
lithin the radius of accurate fire, and
be command is given for the battle
0 begin.
All this description will fit, with
mall changes in details, the exercise
nown as Clear ship for action!" in
II modern navies, and what appears
n inyincible preparation on one side
J exactly reproduced on the other.
he skill Of the marksmen must deter
line who will emerge as victor from
he coming great clash.