The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-03
Gallant Fighters Who Never
See the Enemy.
WORKING BELOW DECK
FIERCEST ACTIVITY WITH THE
THERMOMETER AT 100.
TOlLlNG AMID FLAMES IN STOKE HOLD
A Dantesque Picture Of the interior Of the
Brooklyn During the Great Battle in
Which Admiral Cervera's Fleet
Was DESTROYED.

Was Destroyed.
Santiago, August 2-"Captain Cook
keep your men below the protective deck
informed of any advantage we may
gain,' said Commodore Schley, and
speaking loudly to overcome the noise OF
the frightful guns, the gallant captain
of the Brooklyn said with smile, Il al
ways do that sir, L consider 1t necessary
for the esprit de corps and stepping
into the coming tower he called down
the tubes: Tell the men below that the
Maria Teresa is running ashore. At
the same time Executive Officer Mason
rushes to the firing turrets and calls III
to the men the same joyful news. 1t
was the third of July and the excitement
of the first call to battle had hardly
subsidized on the big cruiser Brooklyn.
when the foregoing incident occurred.
Commodore Schley stood upon small
temporary bridge running about the con-
ming tower, while Captain Cook spent his
time between the interior of the tower,
where he directed the machinery or the
platform where he could see the enemy
Fighting for the honor Of America
against three better prepared, and
more heavily armored ships or
Spain. this splendid type of the
American Navy was one mass
of flame and smoke as she spit out de-
fiance tinged with death, with machine
like regularity and yet but one-third
of the entire crew could see the enemy
or any part of the fight. In the big
turrets, half naked men worked behind
the steel walls with no knowledge OF
how the battle went until they were
informed by Mr.. Mason, and below the
protective deck fully 800 or more men
worked under the glare of electric light
keeping this great engine of destruction
mechanically and rapidly at work. The
big turret S-inch guns could not have done
their deadly shooting even with the train
ed eyes guiding them, had not the men be
low sent up the ammunition and tho
Brooklyn could not have kept side by
side with the Spanish vessels had il
not been for the engineer ant
fire-room force working below the decl
like fiends.
WORKING THE BIG GUNS.
The men in the turrets of five-incl
steel see as little as the men below deck
except that once in a while they get q
glimpse of the object fired at. When the
ships of Spain were sighted coming out
on this eventful morning the eight and
five-inch guns were all loaded and III
each turret within two minutes after
the summons, eleven men stood half
naked awaiting the word fire. The CHIEF
of the turret, a lieutenant, is in the hood
his eye to the telescope, gets the line of
his gun on the harbor, and awaits the
signals. Five thousand yards" sings
out an orderly in the turret opening and
the gun goes up to the proper elevation
as the lieutenant in the hood orders the
elevating gear turned. The number one
man at the guns connects the electric
wire to the primer with the hoods hand
firing apparatus and all is waiting.
Commence firing" comes the order and
quickly the answer comes. The turret
lieutenant's hand closes on the electric
apparatus and the gun jump backs Il
foot or more as 10 pounds of exploding
powder drives $50 pound shell from the
muzzzle of the great piece at a rate Of =
$50 feet per second. Then before the
roar has ceased the hand OF the man il
charge of that turret touches the electric
lever and the great 700 tons of stee
moved quickly and almost noiselessls
around until the mother gun of the twins
was in the same position as the first one
had been. Slowly the muzzle comes up t.
the right elevation, once more the ner
vous fingers close on the electric handle
and another go pounds OF steel shoo
away on its death GRAND. Then il
you could have looked in this particular
turret on that memorable and glorious
morning of July 3rd, you would have
seen picture of activity that would
/ ~
number one beched forth its defiance t.
the group of Spanish ships than the fly.
men behind it, until this minute statue!
of inactivity, sprang into life. No. 2 an(
No. 4 opened the breech. washed of
the mushroom and gas check with /;
sponge, oils the breech plug extracts thu
exploded primer, and sees the vent clear
No. seiZes the long bristle sponge wei
with water and assisted by No. 3, sponge.
the gun, lays aside the sponge and seize:
the hammer ready to drive home thu
new charge.
While they have been working there
has appeared at the top of the ammuni
ton hoist new shells and new ammuni
ton. and the officer in command of tn,
tufret cries load"
No. ; raises the ammunition corner o
the hoist and with the assistance of No
8 of the other gun, grasps the handles
upon the carriage and swings it to thu
rear of the gun. The projectile is frs
on the left, and No. 3 adjusted the prime
while No. 4 assisted by No 6 rams hom
the $50 pound projectile.
Then in quick succession No. 5. No.
and No. 6 ran in the two charges o
powder in packages of fifty-five pounds
each done M in serge or muslin an'
in grains weighing an ounce and quar-
ter each. No. closes the breech, No
/ again connects the wire and the gul
is ready to fire. All this has takel
just four minutes and with two guns
the big turret is shooting once every tw
minutes.
THE POWDER DIVISION.
But where are. the mysterious hand
that send up these death-dealing charge