The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-10

nut a modern warship into commission
involves an enormous aznoant Of work
which can be fully appreciated only by
one who has observed the process from
beginning 20 end.
When a vessel Of the navy - laid up in
reserve. or in ordinary" as Il is called.
II Is far from an attractive object and
coaaa hardly he recognised as the same
ship when in thorough trim With crew
aoosrd. The ship Is anchored at con-
venient navy yard. the stores are seat
ashore. her engines and guns covered
VITA oil. and an anti-russtng paint. her
decks are allowed to become dirty. her
sides duh and stained. from rusty chains
Thus she lies perhaps for monshs, and
then an order comes from the secretary
of the navy, through the chief OF the
bureau OF navigation. directing the COM
manding officer Of the yard to set her
ready for sea.
Ovcrhauling the Ship.
When there IS crisis on. az there hes
been of late. this calls for an activity aud
a display Of executive ability which puts
the mast experienced officer TO the test.
As soon as the order comes the command.
ant transmits 1t 70 the officers In charge
OF different departments. and the compai-
Gated machinery az the yard IL set in mo-
ton. The first thing to be done n to
bring al many men as possible from the
receiving ship which lies hard by, ana
these, with the force OF the yard under the
direction of whatever officers are avail
abe. begin at once 10 pat thsngs 70
rights and remove the accumulated dumt
and dirt from the different parts Of the
equipment. The engineers force goes at
once to tho engine and boiler roomo. the
antj-rusttnE paint, Is removed from the
engines. new packing 10 put In the valves
and joints: the pumps ara ttsfeds the
rust and dirt knocked from interiors -
firc-boxes and boilsr tubes and crate bars
renewed.
ou,wardly everything is now in fair COO
dition. but this Is only the beginning. Il
remains to get up steam In some OF the
boilers, turn over the engines 70 see x
they are in proper trim. start the dyna-
mos. test the electric lights ana the pilot
house signals: turn on the search lights.
start the fans. work the steering gear
and steering engines set thu hoisting ma
chinery in motion, and put the boat
cranes In operation. Every engine. boiler.
pipe. wire. tube, rivet, holt. nut and plate
Is carefully inspected. and II found un-
servfceable from any cause. repaired.
Tho tool OUTFIT 10 examined. and IL Any-
thing il lost or broken reQuisition II. made
on the naval 'ssorekeeper for duplicate:
the IRE room shovels. slice bars. rahoe
aud hoes are hunted UP and put IN their
proper places: In the paynaster's DEPART
vessel when she was placed In ordinary
are carefully examined. and whatever u
found to BE- damaged u CONDEMNED ana
requisition In made for new.
Next the equipment storehcuse 10 Viz.
tied and full allowances Of beef. pork,
! beans. potatoes. coffee. sugar. salt. hour.
meal. clothing. shoes hammocks. blan-
kets. paint. tobacco--in short tbs who's
miscellaneous assortment Of tho commlo-
sary department n placed on board. Tho
paymaster OF the ship 10 responsible t0r
every article received, and q strict CO.
count In kept OF each. Then the gailey Or
cooking store has to be examined 60 -
whether II - compete IN al its fndlngA
The outfit OF a galley usually consists q
two copper kettles. OF 50 gallons each. =
5o-gallcE kettle with cast-iron Jacket apA
copper hinged covers. two steamers Tor
vegetables. each with q capacity Of thirty
two gallons two sets Of sauce pans.
fine set Of tools for lifting and firing and
the ordinary cooking implements.
Pcrfecsing the Eaaipnaent.
The line officers look after the condl-
ton OF the gums. the rigging. the boats.
the cables. tho anchors, the hagS and
signals. the charts. the nautical instru-
men,s and other parts OF the ehip's equip.
ment. what this means can only Re mp.
preciated by one who han actually UNDER
taken The task. volume might be writ
ten In regard to tho signals alone.
When all this work has been done the
ship In ready 10 go Into commission. and
up TO this time everything has been I'M
der consro. OF the commandment OF the
yard. so that when the captain Of tho
ship arrives, and reports himself to the
yard commander. little remains for him
to attend 10. In the meantime men have
been brought together 10 constitute the
crew Sometimes they are enlisted par.
;icuiarly for the ship which 10 about 10
go into service. at other times they are
withdrawn from other ships which have
Just been pu, out Of commission. The
crew and the marines report aboard With
bags and hamnsocks: the captain ordere
the rev To be drawn up on the spar deck
~ s1npsiy al noon upon the Day upGQ
which the ship Is TO BE- put formally -
commission. reads 10 them his or0oED
from the secretary OF the navy detatiing
sion psnnant I'd the main truck and flse
stars and stripes to the gan or sta& -
the stern. and all Is ready.
what ..Im Cemssissioa" Means.
The ship IL now In commission. From
this time regular watches are kept dag
ard night at sea ana In port. In ofIicsg
Of the line In constantly on duty on tho
deck and an officer OF the engineer
corps is on duty In the engine room. 1he
officer OF marines In command Of the
guard sees to II that there Ii IN orderly
stationed at the door Of the captains
cabin. at the scust1ebus TO prevent q
waste Of water. and usually on the foro-
castle and NJ the gangway while IN pcst
A msn-of-wav's crew. Or. a. Il =
termed In the service the ships CONF
pany." il divided into tive watches. the
ssarhoard and port. and sometimes again
divided into the FIRST ana second parts -
eech. These full. or half watches. aso
on duty four hours az q time, from eight
bells 10 eight bells. the bell befng aoun1-
ed on the half hours: commenting o.
f2:sD o'c.ock with one bell. and continu-
ing till O'Clock feight bells). when tho
sysfsm il repeated. From o'clock In fho
afternoon TIL Q. and from 70 q tn
watches are only OF two hours duration.
ard are called dog watches. This - 0Ono
10 break the regular routine and prevent
one watch standing the greater part -
the night In port from ssx 10 twelve
men are kept on deck at highs. Theoo
are called the anchor watch.
Everything having been put In running
order. Goa. taken on board from lighters.
alongside or from the dock. and the ship
ready 10 20 70 sra. she casts on from Tho
navy ward wharf and procQedn IN II