The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-03
The Way the Heavy Death-Dealers
on the Brooklyn are Handled.
OTHER HEROES DOWN BELOW.
The Men Who, Seeing Nothing Work
for Hours i'm n Heat Almost Unbear-
able TO Carry Their Vessel on
10 Victory or Death.

gain" said Commodore schley, and speak
ing loudly to overcome the noise OF the
frightul guns. the gallant Captain OF the
Brooklyn said with a smile Il always do
that sir, I consider &c necessary for tho
esprit de corps" and stepping into the
coming tower he called down the tubes:
"Teu the men below that the Maria Te-
rosa IS running ashore At the same
time executive officer Mason rushes 20
the firing turrets and calls in 70 the men
the same joyful news.
10 was the Sd OF July and the excite
rnent OF the first call 10 battle had hard
Is subsidized on the big cruiser Brooklyn
when the foregoing incident occurred.
Commodore Schley stood upon small
temporary bridge running about the CON
ming tower, while Captain Cook spent DIS
time between the interior Of the tower,
where he directed the machinery and
the platform where he could see the
enemy.
ONE AGAINST THREE.
Fighting for the honor OF America.
three better prepared and more heavily
armOred ships Of Spain. this splendid
type OF the American navy was one mass
OF flame and smoke as she spit out de-
nance tinged with death. with machine
Ike regularity and yet but one-third or
the entire crew could see the enemy OF
any part of the fight. IN the big turrets.
half naked men worked behind the steel
walls with no knowledge of how the bat
tie went until they were informed by Mr..
Mason. and below the protective deck
fully go or more men worked under the
glaro OF electric ligha keeping this great
engine OF destruction mechanically ana
rapidly at work The big turret s-inch
guns could not have done their deadly
shooting even with the trained eyes guld-
ing them had not the men below sent
up the ammunition and the Brooklyn
could not have kept side by side had It
not been FOR the engineer and fire-room
force working below the deck Ike hends.
WORKING THE BIG GUNS.
The mon in the turrets OF 5-inch steel
see as little as the men below deck, eN-
cept that once I'm q while they get q
glimpse OF the object fred at. When
the ships Of Spain were sighted coming
ont on this eventful morning the s. and
6-nch guns were an loaded and in each
turret within two minutes after the sum-
mons. eleven men stood half-naked await
ing the word 10 fire. The chief Of the
turret. n lieutenant. IS IN the hood. his
eve To the telescope, gets the line or his
gun. on the harbor and awaits the sig
nal. give thousand yards sings out
an orderly IN the turret opening and tho
gun goes up 20 the proper elevation az
the lieutenant I'm the hood orders the ele-
waiting gear turned The number one
man AZ the guns connects tho electric
wire 20 the primer with the hoods hand
firing apparatus and all H. waiting "Com-
meuce firing" comes tho order and quick
~ the answer comes. The turret ieu-
tenants hand closes on the electric APP
plrltus and the gun Jumps back a foot
nr nf
der drives n 2l0-pound shell from the
muzzle OF the great piece at a rate OF
20s0 feet per second. Then before tho
roar has ceased the hand or the men in
charge of that turret touched the cleo
trio lever and the great 100 tons OF steel
moved quickly and almost noisless around
until the mother gun Of the twins was IN
the same position as the first one had
been Slowly the muzzle comes mp 20 the
right elevation. once more the. nervous
fingers close ON the electric handle and
another go pounds Of steel shoot away on
its death errand.
A PICTURE OF ACTIVITY.
Then if YOU could have looked in this
particular turret on that memorable and
glorious morning of July 81. you would
have seen a pIcaure OF activity Thar would
have amazed YOU. Hardly had gun 80. 1
beIched forth its defiance 20 the group
hind a. until this minute statues OF in
activity sprang into life. no. 2 and No.
opened the breach. washed or tho
mushroom and gas check with sponge,
oils the brcech plug. extracts the exc
pl0led primer and sees the vent clear.
30. 4 seizes the long bristle sponge wet
with water and assisted by 40 . spOnges
the gun. lays aside the sponge and
seizes the rammor ready 10 drive home
the new charge.
While they have been working there has
appeared at the top OF the ammunition
hoist new shells and new ammunition
and the officer I'm command OF the turret
cries "load."
LOADING.
No. raises the ammunition corner or
the hoist and with the assistance Of NO.
Of the other gun. grasps the handles
upon the carriage and swings II 70 the
rear Of the gun The proiectile IS first
on the left. and No. adjusts the primer
while No. : assisted by No rams home
the 2j0-pound proiectile.
Then I'm quick succession No. D. No. 4
and No. ram I'm the two charges OF
powder I'm packages of s. pounds. each
done up in serge or muslin and In grains
Weighing am ounce and n quarter each.
No. closes the breeCh, No l again con-
meets the wire and the gun Is ready 20
"a
utes and with two guns. the big turret
f. shooting once every two minutes.
THE POWDER DIVISION.
But where are the mysterious hands
that send up these death-dealing charges
20 the guns in such ehost-like way? Down
below the water line Of the ship, beneath
the protective deck that In too many
battles has proved the lid TO the steel
coffin OF hundreds Of brave men, IS Q
naked. perspring crowd Of heroes their
eyes effectu,alv closed 20 the changing
scene Of battle. but their senses keenly
alive TO the fact that torpedo or smell
below, or through the arm0r belt may
mean death, these men work with an
energy that proves their patriotism ana
devotion 10 the flag. on this day they
sent up 10 the various turrets and guns
over 10000 pounds OF ammunition taxing
II carefully out or the big magazines
without accident.
The men detailed IN the handling rooms
OF the Brooklyn are from the fifth or
powder division. composed OF those not
detailed as guns ere VS., such as carDen-
ters and gunner's mates. servants, idlers
OF all kinds and the relief watch OF the
engineers division. This medley OF men
is Of many nationalties and Is known on
board The Brooklyn as "Coxey's army
and Is commanded by the senior deck ohh-
Ger. Or. Griffin. with four or five other
officers as assistants. each assistant hav-
Ing charge Of a section OF about forty or
fifty men. the whole division taking
charge OF all magazine holds and all
space between decks during action.
AT THEIR POSTS.
AT the cianS OF the alarm ior general
quarters the men rushed for their sta
tons. struggling through a small steel
hatch IN the protective deck. and down a