The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-27
\ 81 BArrLE SCENE on rnE Gus .pEcK.

run deck and thence to the cannon thorn
selves. For moving ammunition various
| mechanical appliances, including electric
lily, have como into use, though the Nor,
Is still done by hand on some of the YES
sells.
OPINION OF REAR ADMIRAL ERBEN.
II believe in the hand lift for amnuni.
tlon," says Rear Admiral Henry Erben,
because II you depend on electricity the
cutting or breaking OF n wire knocks you
out. but II man is cut In two you can
out another In his place.
crew OF sixteen men is required To
man each OF the big guns such as the
tWclye-inch and thirteen-inch cannon of
tho Iowa and Indians, shellmen, hand
splkemen, Saskatchewan, intacklemen aud
porttacklemen, and are under the diroc-
ton OF a first and second gun captain
There Ia also a powdorman. who delivers
the charge TO the gun, fireman and a
wreck clearer.
me firing OF pivot or turret gun re-
aiires ten separate commands. Most Of
these explain themselves. They are as
follows
1. silence! Cast loose and provide!
2. Run In!
3. Shift pivot!
y nrANN, NcuI duo hpOukeS
q. Run out!
z. Primei
3. Point!
D. Ready, Are!
10. Shift and secure!
II the ship is under way the man with
the range finder is kept busy calling Off
the distance OF the enemy's ship or what
ever the target may be. As each new dis
No.
10 mat range. AT the order to POINT
NO. OF the gun crew adjusts the sights
10 his satisfaction, while all the others
stand back from tho gun. Then al The
order Ready" he takes n Anal look.
draws his lanyard and quickly repeats
"Fire!"
HOW GuNNERs FIND THE RANGE.
In firing at ship the target Ia always
the watorlino. Though the computing in
struments now used are of great value, the
only way to get the exact range now. as
formerly, is to see whether the first shot
falls short or over, and to move her n
notch or let her down 40 the case may re-
aujre.
Tho firing OF this last shot releases the
pentup tension of the preparations, which
is succeeded by q fever OF work. The lines
OF powder carriers and runner boys move
steadily back and forward, the men In the
turrets are soon blackcned by powder and
smoke until they look more like devils
than human beings, but they work on US
coolly as the engineers. far below, un-
mindful OF shots that crash about them
XII Tie sr'an,iid discfnifffc Ind -tfs;ihfhp- 4
of years makes itself felt in these few
moments OF fighting as the sailor boys
drive their ship manfully on. still eager
TO know the issue of the conflict.
THE engineer- whose plana--haxa- been
adopted for the electrical equipment of
the Brooklyn elevated railroad system. a
Mi. s. III, Short. who IL now engaged In |
designing the third rail and motor ear
system for the Manhattan elevated rail-
way OF New York. Mr.. Short ia known to |
electrical experts as the inventor Of the |
earliest long distance telephone transmit |
ter and of the gearless motors OF the cleo |
lrical locomotives used In the Baltimore |
and Ohio tunnel: also MS the builder OF |
tho first commercial electrical railway i'm |
The United states, At the age OF 40 no |
has built more trolley roads than any !
pther man In the world has founded ana /
operated electrical companies OF his own 4
and has sold 10 the Edison and Boil COM
nanies Patents which have brought him a !
fortune. II looks as II Mr.. Short may |
Decvmc known to the people OF the United |
states generally. should this country he |
engaged ~ naval war any time soon "a |
me Designer Of electrical appliances which |
WiA not only astound the world, but will |