Evening star., 1898-09-10
--ees-------------
FIGHTING IN A TURRET.
a Graphic Picture of the Work of a
Gun Crew.

From Golfers Weekly.
The turret officer takes his station in the
central sighting hood at the elevating
levers. Before him are two telescopes, each
connected with its gun by a system of
levers, and capable of Independent adjust
ment to suit the range. When this is done,
the gun is elevated until the cross wires of
its telescope are brought On the target
which should then be reached by the pro-
jectile. On one side in the hood is range
Indicator, one of many in the ship all con-
nected with and operated from the central
station, which receives its information
from observers in the military tops. In
rear of the hood is q telephone connected
with the central station, from which COM
munlcation can be held with any desired
pCint IN the ship. There are also voice
pipes to the engine room and the maya
zines below, as well as signal bells and an
nunclatCrs for operating the ammunition
Fits. Hydraulic gauges indicate the pres
sure at various points Of the mount and
everywhere are valves and levers, each of
the latter with it's attendant
Inc turret can be trained from the CEN
trail hood, but it is usually preferred to do
so from "A side or auxiliary hood. This
hood is provided with a telescope held in
rigid parallelism with the guns and the
trainers scle duty is, with its aid. to keep
get; the elevation corresponding to the
range is given by the officer in the central
hood, who also fires the guns.
between the guns and the sides of the
turrets are stationed the men who tend
the training motors, open and close the
bIeech, and clean cut the powder cham
bers. In rear of each gun is a powerful
electric fan, intended to drive the smoke
out of the turret through the bore of the
gun, and a hydraulic rammer with which
the half-ton projectile is forced up into the
gun. At this rammer stands the gun cap
tain, who superintends the loading and
the first sponger who sees to the prepara-
ton of the gun for receiving the charge
Between the platform on which these men
stand and the face Of the breech is a light
trap door covering shaft up which the
ammunition lifts are hoisted from the
handling room below On the girders be-
tween the guns are stationed the men op-
Grating the ammunition lifts, the water
service, and the various signals and tele-
phones.
There is disposition to chatter among
the apprentices; the suspense is great and
ir&ction is hard to bear, especially as all
OF she light guns now seem to be engaged
Train on the entrance to the harborr'
The motors utter a groan and the nom
derous cylinder swings slowly round wheez-
ing and rumbling, The range indicator
mounts quickly to twenty-nine hundred
yards and stops; the telephone rings and
Its attendant reports.
Fire at will"
The telescopes are set with a turn of the
wrist, while with the other hand the guns
are elevated until the cross-wires sweep
the horizon, but the smoke from the light
guns is thick and nothing is distinct
Suddenly there is a rift and in il an
pears the black hull of a ship-a stranger.
but aft she carries grand ensign marked
with the blood and gold of Spain From
her sides and turrets there Is a continuous
play of lightning flashes. but the din of
nearer guns allows notsound from her to be
distinguished. One questions uncertainty
for an instant: Els she fighting? Is she
firing at us? Is This aonaval battle?" And
then comes the eager anxiety to do ones
own part and toIdo 1t well.
The sixteen men about the guns are now
silent and expectantJl The turret turns
siowiy-sloWer-stops. - The ship is rolling
gently, while the enemy's hull between her
smokestacks is sweeping on to meet the
descending crosswrestof the telescope; the
officer, with all his soul In his eye, awaits
the collimation, and at the instant presses
the firing handle There is a deafening
roar, binding fash, the great guns re-
coils wildly into the turret and then slides
smoothly out again. The air is filed with
smeoke; two men are already turning like
mad at the plug crank, and, as the half
ton block swings aside, a third directs a
stream OF water into the chamber turn
is given the elevator valve and the breech
swings up high. allowing the water to run
down the bore and out of the muzzle The
gun captain takes charge, and the officer
turns to the other gun He glances at the
range indicator-twenty-si hundred yards
sets the sight. and a moment later the
smoke lifts again.
Two Spanish ships are now out and a
third is in the entrance; the first one seems
on fire. Was 1t from his shot? Who can
tell? For a dozen heavy guns are firing
at her. second later and the trainer
swings the nearest ship into his field, and
he fires again. Another pair Of men swing
open the breech and the hose is pointed
down the bore.
In the meantime the first gun has been
lowered into Its loading position, the am
munition car has been hoisted In rear OF
1t and the rammer has forced home the
she'll Twice more 1t enters the breecn.
each time pressing before 1t two hundred