New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-28

Fy,r since they returned from southern "dteis'
vbera hey carried the flag to glorious victory.
,be ships n the North Atlantic Squadron have
attracted mach attention. and thousands OF
won and women have made the journey 10
s.aten island for the purpose Of seeing the VIC
,orjoJs fghtiug machines in their war paint
I'D heforo the slight bruises which they had
u,s,alped had been obiterated. Thousands OF
.oor,s ,yor, content to see the ships from the
aacks ri excursion boats, became enthusiastic
200, fine sight at long range and returned to
their homes With glowing accounts of the great
rossss II metal. with their decorations Of pol
isbed guns ana decks populous with oincers Ill
.n,,,sss white. Others. who were anxious to
make closer investigation went aboard ana
.w.rmed over the ships and saw the wheels
., round The adventures of the squadron
wsrs told ard retold by officers and men. and
between seeing and hearing. the general pubic
tnows more about a modern battle-ship. It's
construction efficiency and management thah IL
know hef,r, the victorious vessels came to New
York
IN. mar, which the various members Of the
sbins company take in engagements was e*
naired 70 men and women over and over again.
and many Of those who heard the story were
flied with pity for the men below decks. The
had the sympathy Of the visitors. and stories
were told about those men being locked into
,mpartmen,s where the heat was unbearable'
and from which there could he no escape in
csse the vessel went down: Of armed marines
standing over the poor hremen threatening 10
blow their brains out if they left their posts and
of one continuous strain from work and prostrat-
ing heat. with never chance 10 see what was
ppas turning.
sscTbe commander OF one OF the ships, when
he heard one of these stories said that the woes
cio. the fireman and coal passcr existed chiefly
In the Imagination OF the stOry-writer. "Of
course" ne said. "the fireman has to fire and
the coal passer has % shovel coal, and they
know very well when they enlist FOR these posts.
that they will be able 10 do the work without
providing themselves with extra fur OvercOats,
tust as the man who takes a job to cut ice IN
the Northern lakes knows that he can worry
through the season without linen buster
Working at the fires is hot job but the men
who enlist for that service know all about it,
and one hears no complaint from them any more
than from men in less warm parts OF the ship
FANS BRING SOME RELIEF.
The temperature varies in the ships. Some are
above 10 degrees. while in others a temperature
Of a0o degrees is nothing unusual when the ship
Is in a .tIon
Win the weather gets too hot for US. said
4 member Of the New-York's crew who is one
r'of the 207 men whose posts Of duty are away
nbeloy tn. ,yater-line. we turn on the fans and
Gget a change"
The men have four hours duty and eight
hours rest While on duty they have many
chances % come aloft TO catch a Whit Of fresh
air and To- see what is taking place, and when
Oh duty they rest in their quarters or on deck.
and max themselves as comfortable as pos
able
Az to being cut or from escape. the officers
say that there is no such condition When the
ship goes into action trapdoors in the shape OF
monster non CRATES are closed TO protect the
boilers Fl IN possible spiinters or projectlies.
These sra,cs cut off all retreat by the regular
narways that lead to the decks. but there are
ladders inside the ventilatOr pipes which are
always accessible, and other iron ladders which
lead from The boiler-rooms to the upper deck.
IF YOU had been with us" said an officer.
you would have seen how these ladders were
made use of during our fight with the Spaniards'
Men having fired their boilers and having rev
minutes 70 spare clambcred up and popped out
heard the condition Of affairs, and went beio"
and carried the news TO their mates. But even
they had not come aloft they would have
known What was going on. because the captain
sent orderly with tidings Of the night every
little viii and the at the fires and in the
engine rooms were as enthusiastic as those at
The guns"
To show hat the men at the fires are enthusi-