The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-03
MOST DANGEROUS POST

on a Battieihip Is TIA the "Flehting
Top,.-A Position OF Extreme Peril.
The men who will be In the greatest
Danger during q naval engagement will
be those who are stationed in the mill
tary inasts or lighting tops OF the big
ships. It Is a position OF extreme peril.
The men stationed there play hide and
seek with death during a battle. Exc
posed to the fire Of the enemy with but
little protection. tho chances of their
again reaching the deck below are ex-
tremely elm. There are slight bar
bettes behind which the men crouch
while loading and firing their guns, but
these are OF but little practical use in
yarding OF the fire OF the enemy. and
the smoke and heat Of battle rising In
the air make the situation more disa-
sreeabie.
Masts are not used on a modern bat
t,eshlp 10 support sails, but as stations
for fighting and to display signals.
Fighters were stationed in the tops long
before steam supplanted sails. 1T was
n shot from the mizZcntop of the Re-
~doubtablc that put an end 10 Nelson's.
life IN tho moment Of victory. Long
before that they were used asa station
for marksmen- The fighting platform
was n part OF the equipment OF The gal
leys OF the Greeks. Yomans und Egyp-
t.ans, and from them great stones We're
hurled. and In later days Greek fire was
thrown. causing havoc among the ranks
Of the enemy. Al W. I'd
When steam came into universal use
as q substitute for sails In the propul-
sion OF ships the mnsts were retained.
This was not because they added to the
symmetrical appearance ofcthe ship. but
because II was OF advantage to have
men stationed In the tops who could
scan the horizon q long distance or and
get an earlier glimpse of the enemy
than could the officer on the quarter
deck below. Signals could, be seen at a
greater distance and shots directed
from that quarter could be sent on their
mission with greater accuracy.
But there Is q change. The sailor
Doesn't have to climb the mast. It Is
OF steel. not wood. and OF great dame
ter. Access to the fighting tops Is
gained from the interior. In the same
way ammunition Is passed up to the
men who are doing the fighting In the
dangerous station.
These masts vary greatly in construc-
ton. some ships. indeed, being without
them. and on others they are mere sig
nat poles. But on the big battleships
they are elaborate affairs! Some are
equipped with an upper top for the cleo
trio light, a peculiarly shaped edifice
below to enable three qulck-firing guns
to be discharged right ahead. and afspe-
c!es Of coming tower below, from which
the captain can oversee the smoke
clouds, and thus see to direct the move
nents Of his ship in action.
This coming tower Is not always
present, but all the battleshlps have
three or six FOUNDER rap!d-fire guns, and
electric light projectors. and one or two
light machine guns in addition. These
guns are supported by expert gunners,
and IN every battle they3do effective
work In clearing the guns. sweeping the
decks and superstructures, and picking
of the officers and leading men.
II Is hazardous work. There Is an
overhead shield. but these; and the bar
bettes give protection more hazardous
than real. There Is not much danger OF
the mast failing. for 1t would take a
Nell-directed shot with a,big project!le
TO bring 1t down. But II It did fall there
would be q great crash and the damage
would be great. 1t would be roughaon
the men In the tops. who would come
tureoling down to certain death. Yet
even II the masts do not come down,
the men are in a dangerous position,
being living targets for shot and shell.
The thin plating affords protection
eSainst q rifle bullet. but anything
larger would pierce 1t and end the lives
OF the men behind the barbette.