Evening journal., 1898-10-19
Z UoCHADE RUNNING.

Let us for a moment take sample
case. The runner is lying in port OF
the COUNT Of the owner on whose be-
half she - uns." She is by no means a
modern-bu 1t vessel, and If she was
sent to the bot tom Of the sea by a gum
shot the ne camille steam marine
would not be- uch the loser. There is
only one part Of her that is perfect,
and those aref her engines and boilers,
for it is UPON them she depends en-
tirely to euco' ,ssfully run her cargo
The success q 2 a run OF a blockade
with the exec ption of local knowl-
edge" of co0rs s-does not depend upon
the captain, h 1T upon the engineer.
How this is so ] shall show i'm a mo-
ment.
let us first examine the runner as
she stands at he dock side loaded with
provisions and wa II stores. She is paint |
ed a light drab co. or, her funnel is very
short Cand also drab-painted), and
from her gunwale, from stern to stern,
and ON both port md starboard sides,
run sheets of canvs Us to a height level
with the captains bridge. This is also
painted 81 light dT3 ID color. You ask
what are the reaso, ns for these precau-
tionsP ] will tell you in a few sem
q tences. have said a blockade is AL
e ways run by might and, without yOp
k are a very sharp man, indeed, you cam
b not see a drab ship, with drab side
IS sheets, floating o n the eea-no, nOO
: even If che is lMt a hundred yards
y from you. and doubt very much If the
Is searchlight would be of any great
J. avail. The dr'alb color is the nearest
to the water itself, and the sheets L.
the height of the captains bridge pc
vent any distinctive outline becoming
visible. The boat is a solid, light
= co,ored moss, and wants a lot OF dis
ar tinguishing on a dark night. Then, If
IN such is the case. YOU naturally say, to
is run a blockade is an easy matter Moth
s. ing of the sort. have said the sue
III cess depends entirely on the engineer
~ NY readers know as well as / am able
10
ling of paddle wheels or the revolving
ne Of steamers screw makes on
n the silence of the might on the Ell
so w lent ocean. This noise has to be over
n come if the blocl0ade-runner is to be
successful.
Local knowledge" Of depths and po-
L-lsitions tells the captain where the men
L of-war will be stationed, and the
ih' courses the torpedo-lbOats will patrol
Ia He shapes his own course accordingly,
in and when nearing "a man-of-war (he
To- always, by the way, goes in on a food
ate tide) he signals the engineer to shut
nj off steam, and trusts to his "drabbi-
be ness" and the strength of the current
70 to take him noisele,ssly past his enemy
~ 1t is at this period OF the ram" thai
AT the anxiety OF the engineer is brough
iel- into play. Sometimes &c is compelled
nee TO shut off steam for an hour or more
ing and it requires man Of more than
ordinary inventive faculties to know
~ how to keep steam in his boilers so al
lies to go ahead directly he gets the signal
the and at the same time to prevent thi
res. steam escaping. The latter-a suddei
also escape Of steam with its kissing souni
.ors has ruined more blOckade-runners o
ere later years than any other cause. Di
spe- rectly the sound is heard by the men
lila of-war, the runner is soon discovered
'acn surrounded and captured. The engi
neer who can hold his steam is wort
his weight in gold. That some me
oED have learned the art of getting rid G
men theirCverplus of steamwhile the engine
ooi. are not working goes without sayinl
of but that it is an art the history {
1880 bloczade-running is a proof. Thel
mon again. in another capacity the enginee
Val is called upon to exercise care and dis
- - cretion. AT times an unknown eddy (
nr current will catch the bows Of the foaf
ven ing runner and turn her out OF hs
=, Of course. The propeller has to be set i
phia. motion to bring her head round, bl
w Mas so gently and slowly do the engin,
Iart- "o'A 'i''O nv a sOuNu 70 " NC mean
and over the STILL still waters. A pound
over steam too much let into the cylinde
rated might ruin the whole expedition. If n
)ringl "rinner" has NOT "naid awavn =,
80 much, it is often the custom Of Il
If ST captain to get out some long and sp
) Nc cially made muffled sweeps, and pr
nand her head round instead of trusting
ames his ENGINES Nevertbeless II is .
anxious time for all on board whi
- the engines are silent. Steam is
ne Of uncertain, and will escape someho
ever ... =. D.. a.. - w., -,