New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-24

pie on shore who may ere long be reading OF
ra-ncht between two modern ironclads Is that
modern vessels will fight under way. There Is
40 longer any graphing Of two ships, Tor one
or both Of them will be destroyed before they
can come to such close quarters. or else one or
them will he helpless and will have struck her
coIors All steam will be put on the moment
that the two Combatants dcscry each other on
the far horizon. Then the monsters will begin to
switch themselves about in the water and lash
the waves. and the great frames Will tremble
with the engines vibrations
4 late trial Of the Cincinnati in battle trim oc-
cuped ten minutes going and coming over
,.ooeured distance. with a floating target at
distance varying from three quarters or a mile
TO 4 mile and an eighth Her whole battery
WIS fred as many times as possible. one OF the
3inch guns being discharged 81 times In the
fer minutes and the others nearly cqualling this
rapidity. She was a flying cloud Of smoke and
na,nc The shin herself was not visible. The
runncrs could often only guess at the posl''oh
~ the target or had to wait n few seconds FOR
A little momcntary rift in the cloud to take ad
vantage Of IT, As matter Of fact. the target
was completely wrecked owing to the skin or
the office RS and Cunners' mates. Here let IL be
said that the lateral sighting ~ great gun IL
more important than the vertical Get your
uiuzzlc working line with target when ~
parallc with the horizon before you try to train
the gun up and down
The suppressed energy which Is apparent In
TN, very frame II vessel when she sights an
enemy is her quick response TO the brains on
board " her Could spectator be poised IN
rlidair above two battlc-ships approaching "ach
other he would bc struck by tn" similarity OF
actions 81 the human beings aboard them hoth
What seemed moment ago an idle fivc nun
drcd men in harmony with the inert monster
they nhabit. spring into a living nterdependen'
organism like the works of Il watch.
THE CHASTITY EXPECTATION.
"Clear ship for action" is the command from
the executive officer. In modern battle every one
must expect injury or destruction. he who does
not had better not go TO sea In modern iron
clad Some will escape death. but not many In
the engagement between the Peruvian ironclad
Huascar and the Blanco Encaada only nfty OF
the Iluascars crew were uninJur"d out OF TWO
hundred one hundred were killed ana hfty
wounded And II Uncle SANS executive
officers give this command next week or next
month the fearful seriousness Of II VIII be ie''
10 the core Of every man VIII" hears H.
Continuing the survey of the inner. human
life u the ships the spectator would first note
Gus rush to his appointed station Of every Of
ncer and man The great end in view Is the
quickest POSSIBLE use u the wcapon-throwihg
tower The MAGAZINES and the brccchcs OF the
great guns are the centres Of action. The CON
ning-;owcr or little round room made or metal
A foot thick with Sits for observation Is the
centre Of thought. for the captain stands thcre
with his aid and directs the battle by means
OF speaking tubes and electricity.
First Of all the decks are cleared OF every
obstacle that WOULD cmbarrass the rapid pas
sage of ammunition from the magazines to the
guns All ships are full Of objects that are 10
be thrown overheard before going Into action
Tanks Of turpentinc alcohol. varnsh, carpoyS
Of acid must all hy the side. 1hcn tne
ships hose Is to be attached to all connections.
and when action has begun the steam pump Is
started and kept running. All movable puIk-
heads and lockers which might interfere win
the working Of any portion OF the battery are
put out Of the way. Only those ladders which
are absolutely necessary left in place. the
others being hung over the side or carefully
placed apart All cOmpasscs and binnacies eA-
cept one are sent below. Hamnocks are furieu'
awnings are wctted and used In certain exposed
places as barbados or shields. but 1t Is not
expected they will do much against modern
bullets
THE BRAINS BEHIND THE GUNS.
Each great gun and small gun has It's oiicer
and group OF men behind 1t to work It. It's big
iron covering like a large hood. shield some OF
- hon