Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-13
Heroes Below the Decks.

Advices from Washington state that
not only the army forces in Cuba are
to DE brought North at once, but also
many of the American ships. Admiral
Sampson reports that about three per
cent of his men are incapacitated for
duty, owing to debility rather than to
disease. This, he points out is largely
due to the sudden relaxation after the
enormous physical and mental strain
to which they have been constantly
subjected while on active duty. He
warships has set foot on shore i'm the
last seven months.
The glorious achievements of the
American navy during the war with
Spain have won the admiration and
respect of the entire world. The Ameri-
can nation is proud of its blue jackets
and points with genuine pride to them
as the highest type of naval fighters.
But as a rule the average stay-at-
home citizen, While sharing in the
general praise for the work of the
boys who have done the fighting at
sea, hasno adequate appreciation of the
hardships endured by our sailors.
While we give just praise to the men
behind the guns let us not forget the
heroes below the decks who did SO
important part and get so small a
share of the glory.
According to an official report the
heat figures from the monitors that
have been doing blockade duty off the
Cuban coast showed upon recent test
that the Amphitrite's engine-room
bore an average temperature of 100 de-
grees The engine-room of the Mian-
tonomoh registered 13S degrees
and it's flreroom 149 degrees. The
Terror showed 40 degrees in its en-
sne-room and $50 degrees in its fire
room. These figures, which are Off
cial, tell their own story.
A naval officer on board one Of the
monitors which took part in Samp-
sons bombardment of San Juan
writes as follows: THE scene in the
fireroom that morning was not OF this
earth. The heat was almost destruc-
tive of life; tools. ladders, doors and
all fittings We're too hot to touch, and
no ,,I, Il. IL.
Gaping from furnace doors. for there
was absolutely no draft. The men col
lected to build up the fires were the
best of those remaining fit for duty,
but they Were Worn out physically.
were nervous, appr1hensive and
dispirited. Rough Irish firemen. who
would stand in affair fight until killed
in their tracks. We're crying like chill
dlen and begging to be allowed to goI
on deck, 50 completely We're they un-
nerved and unnamed by the cruel or
deal they had endured so long. Hell
atloat' is nautical figure of speech
often idly used. hut then we saw it,"
Without detracting in the. slightest
degree from the fun credit due to the
officers who have made our recent
naval victories possible, it is merely
justice to say that the hardest work
has been done by the unknown heroes
in humble stations below decks. Credit
for the magnificent work of the Ore
gon at Santiago, for instance, is due
not alone to Captain Clark and his off,
GERS, nor to the gunners whose deadly
work did SO much toward wiping out
Cerycras squadron. The boys in the
eneine-rooms and the nrc-rooms far
below, who remained at their posts of
duty in a temperature which seemed
! like a veritable hell on earth. deserve
a nations gratitude. These boys de-
serve n rest. They have earned it.
and now that urgent necessity for
further active service is no longer APP
parent they should have it promptly.