The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-11-11
Working a Big Gun.

of the battleship Massachusetts,, now
of the flying squadron, "that the In
diana put shell from her thirteen
inch gun through target at 1000
yards, and then went through the
same hole with second shell. Pretty
good work for one OF these fellows"
and the muscular little captain strok-
ed the muzzle of one of the four thir-
teen-inch guns that make up the
main battery of the big ship of the
line, says Leslie's Weekly.
Don't take tape measure or foot
rule and measure off thirteen inches
and wonder to what portion OF the gun
that refers, because that would avail
you little, but rather listen to the ac-
count of the stupendousness of this
greatest engine of destruction of
modern days. A" thirteen-inch breech-
loading rifle" as the biggest guns used
in the navy is technically described,
is piece of metal weighing 10000
pounds, few inches over tnirty-nine
feet in length: and with powder space
OF 15.5 inches in diameter and sos
inches long.
The only reference to thirteen inches
is in the diameter of the steel projectile
fired. This monstrous gun throws
projectile that weighs LOO pounds,
and the amount of powder consumed
for each shot so fired is 500 pounds.
The explosion of this powder sends
this weight of LOO pounds of metal
from the muzzle at the speed of 2,lOO
feet per second, and with an energy of
80 ,627 tons-enough to send 1t through
twenty-four inches of steel at 1000
yards, and twenty-one inches at a
mile distant, and while the mechan
ism of this gun is complicated, and
while every part after every shot must
be cleaned, so complete is the disci-
pline aboard that it may be fired once
every three minutes. And there are
four of these terrible engines.
1t is bright, clear day. and the
Massachusetts, has sighted an enemy's
warship. The preliminary work of
clearing for action has been accom-
plished, railing, ladders and boats are
down and have been slowed away and
erything movable in the big ship
fastened. The glass port lights have
been replaced with steel, the water
tight compartments closed, the electric
plants for lighting the ship, turning
the turrets and working the ammuni-
ton lifts started, the ammunition
magazines opened and, lastly, the sick
bay prepared.
In the forward turret with the great
pair of thirteen-inch rifles stands a
crew OF twelve men, six to each gun.
The gun captain and Nos. 1, 2, 3
and 4, who are the practical gunners,
unshackle the great monster from 1t
peace fas!enings; one sees that repair
tools and cleaners are placed, gets wa
ter and hose ready; another opens the
safety valves and exhaust pipes, starts
the smol.e fan and ships the sight,
and another provides drinking water
and does dozen other things. But
all is done within space of four
minutes, ai;d again each man in his
place stands like statute of bronze.
Tie ammunition has come up pre-
parcel with fuses, and then come the
orders III quick succession. "Open
breech, sponge, land SHE'LL" The
great hydraulic hammer pushes in a
big 1,lOO-p-,lnd steel projectile. "Load
first cartrrlsse," and the brown powder,
one-hali tho quantity necessary, goes
in. "Load second cartridge" and in
goes the second. "Down lift" and the
ammunition Garage goes down for
more. "Closc breech," comes the or
der quickly, a,.;l followed in an instant
by "Prime," hen the captain puts in
the electric primer.
Then the captain Of the gun, seeing
everything clear, says Ready" and
the officer III the hood above responds
with "Point." Slowly both turret and
gun are moved until the range finder
indicates that the muzzle is pointing
at the enemy. Then, quick as flash,
the officer in the turret hood closes
the electric current and the big pro-
iectile goes on its path of destruction
So every one of the twenty-six rifed
guns begins to speak, and "hell has
indeed broken loose"
Ga 00oREA
i ~ 49, - - -