The Florence tribune., 1898-09-17
w1GwAGGING ON sHIpBoARD.
Brooklyn Girl Applies Signal to the War Vessels Curve
 Calculator.

f1 means as ensophisticated in naval mat ters as she appeared 10 be, was pffoted over one of the fighting ships at the navy yard a few months ago by young ensign, who made the most of his op- portunity. He told her how deadly the lsarpedoes were, and he thought it no harm to double their effectiveness in the telling.
 "When enc of these torpedoes ex- plodes," said the ensign, wisely. "it kills all the fish within a radius of half a mile, and frequently its force is so great that the bottom of ihe sea is laid bare. ,"
 How very interesting" said the Brooklyn girl, land suppose you have seen the bottom of the sea frequently"
 "Well, you see, er-e., have never been detailed fer torpedo practice" " said the ensign eyasivcly. Tie ensign told the Brooklyn girl that the six-:neh guns on beard were constructed on the prin- ciple which is so beautifully illustrated by the baseball pitcher, and that they could be gauged to throw any kind of l curve.
 That must be a great advantage" !" said the girl. rl.thoughtfully. "Indeed it is," said the ensign. Tt permits all of our guns 10 go into action at the same time. When, for instance, the starboard guns get the range and begin firing. the captain passes the word to the gunners on the port side; Get ., 1Nte ,,-a II 1-,,-sr-,, ,1, der, by the way, is the original of the now current slang expression"
 "What happens then?" asked the Brooklyn girl, anxiously. .-.-.'' "Then," continued the ensign, thoughtfully, ''the best mathematician On the ship is assigned to calculate the curves. That is my duty now. The curve calculator, knowing the range given to the starboard gurs, calculates the curve and range for each port gun, and the gunners gauge according to it.. Thus, you see, while the starboard guns are firing straight at the enemy the port guns are throwing projectiles in a curve around the bow and stern of the ship"
 "But if these proiectiles are not stopped in their course, isn't there dan ger that they may complete the circle and come back and hit the ship?" asked the Brooklyn girl.
 That all depends on the curve call cuhior," said The ensign, proudly.
 The Brooklyn girl looked at him ls if she had been profoundly impressed or tremendously amused, and the en- sign decided in favor of the former in- i depreciation. He escorted the Brooklyn 1 girl about the deck, and suddenly she saw C commoTiou or the Aag2Aip, which was anchored about GOO yards away. 4 sailor was waving q flag back and forth, and man on the ensign's ship seemed to be watching it with interest.
 "Wbat are these two men doing ?" she asked.
 "They are wigwaggdng."
 Dear me, is that form of naval pun ishment?"
 "No, indeed,7 said the ensign; "that ship over there is the admiral's flagship, and the man who is waving flag is sending an important order from the admiral 10 this ship"
 "Can you read it?" asked the girl.
 ''It is too late 10 catch the full order now," said the ensign, "but we will hear the signalman report it to the officer of the deck. Itmay be an order to prepare for war at once"
 The Brooklyn girl tried hard to look | impressed by this martial suggestion as she accompanied the ensign to where the officer of the deck was standing. The signalman had completed the mes sage, and coming to the officer of the deck, he stopped, saluted, and said:
 "An order from the flagship, sir"
 What is it?' said the officer, ac- knowledging the salute.
 Scrub st discretion, sir" said the signalman, and. saluting, he walked away.
 The ensign's expression was blank, and the Brooklyn girl laughed.
 Thank you very much for your kind ness," she said. T know that, after that order from the admiral, you, as official curve calculator, will have work to do, 50 I will join my friends ashore" l This ensign has been suspicious of in- lgenuous Brooklyn girls who have since visited his ship, and he has congrat- ulated himself that the wardroom mess knew nothing about the incidcnt.-N V Gun