The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-27
A Battleship in Action,


know just how a war vessel goes into a
fight. To put battleship like the Iowa
or indiana in thorough readiness Cor &C
ton ordinarily requires about Two hours.
| though, Of course. ii can be done in much
| less time in case of emergency.
There is one thing that makes it a
comparatively simple and orderly task
On board a fighting vessel every man has
| q certain assigned post and a certain
| task laid out for him, with which he is
perfectly familiar. This holds true from
! the captain himself down to the little
coolies who wait on table for the different
messes. When the signal is sounded it
brings every man TO his place. and long
familiarity makes the work, so Involved
and complicated TO the eyes of an oct
| slider, mere matter of routine.
| II ship engages an enemy unexDeci ed
| ly. so that there is not the usual time
| for preparation, the call to quarters IS
| sounded Immediately, and the men take
| their places in divisions. In this case
| each division attends to part CT the
| work Of clearing the ship. but ordina rily
the first signal is, Clear for action At
| the boatswains whistle and the verbal
command the men move to their positions
| those whose places are on deck forming
in squads under the direction Of the diff
ferent officers. The captain takes his
place on the bridge. Later, when the tat
| tie begins, he will go into the protected
coming tower, through the narrow Sits
of which he can watch everything that
| takes place on deck and the movements
| of the enemy as well. But for the present,
while the preparations are being made,
| he must decide the general plan of &C
| ton, how the guns are 10 be used, and
the class and nature of projectile on
which he will depend.
Near the captain stands the navigator,
who will have charge of the handling of
the ship during the engagement, the sig
nal officer and the various aides. First
of all, the decks and working spaces are
cleared. The spars, rigging and boats are
secured. Everything movable that will
not be needed during the engagement is
firmly dashed into place, where it will not
interfere with the work. The topmen.
who are in charge of the little platform
high up on the mainmaSt haul up arms
and ammunition and make everything
ready in their lofty quarters, even to fill
ing the fire buckets with which to put
out blaze should one be started up aloft.
The carpenters under the direction of the
navigator, see to the removal of awning
stanchions, hatch rails and every light OBJ
ject that is not essential to the manage
ment of the ship. The chronometers and
other delicate instruments are carefully
gathered up and laid away below, to save
them from destruction by conclusion The.
torpedo division gets out its apparatus for
sending torpedoes and spreads the inter
cepting nets over the ships sides, where
they can be quickly lowered if need be.
Below the activity is equally great. The
engine fires are stirred up and steam is
made as fast as possible, for modern
battleship is intended to go into action I'M
der full head of steam. The steam and
bilge pumps are rugged and the magazine
squad stands to its post, but the maya
zines are not unlocked until the signal for
action. The keys, however. are deliver
ed TO the officers of the powder division
by the captain at the first signal.
When the ship is cleared the call TO
quarters is given and the men make their
places in divisions The gun squads stand
to their guns and make them ready for
use. The matches, except those that will
be used, are covered with grating and
tarpalins, the carpenter collect his men
and the armorer stands ready to repair
any damage that may be done by the en-
emy's fire or the recoil of the ships cam
non A man with lead line is placed at
the wheel, and during the fight will make
frequent soundings 10 discover if the yes
sci is injured below the water line. The
hose squad is placed in charge of the fire
apparatus, ready for instant service.
Chemical fire extinguishers are used on
all the United States warships now, and
hand grenades are placed in every quar-
ter of the ship Every precaution is Ia
ken to secure the instant stamping out
of fire should 1t start in or near the mag
azines.
Down in the sick bay the head surgeon,
or bull DOCTOR has been directing the
laying out of cots, instruments and band
ages. One hatchway, as near amidships
as possible, is always left open for the
passing down of wounded men. The sur
geon may have no call upon his services.
but the rule in every quarter of a battle
ship is, BE prepared for the worst, and
hope for the best"
When everything is ready the officers
move TO their stations. If the ship is a
monitor the battle matches are closed, and
the men at last hear the final command
Tor which they have been impatientIy
waiting-"Actionr
AT that command the doors of the mag
azines are opened and the men, who form
the different chains of scuttles, begin TO
pass the cartridge cases up 10 the deck
The delivery of ammunition is in charge
of the gunner. In modern naval fortunes
the gunner is not, as many landlubbers |
suppose, the man who fires the cannon. |
He is warrant officer. and his position
is most responsible one in time of &C
ton, for he must see to the prompt and |
steady delivery Of cartridges, shells and |
projectiles to all the guns. The chief gum |
ner takes his position on the berth deck, |
where he can note the progress OF the |
work, his chief assistant is below in the |
main magazine experimenting the hand
ing out of powder and a quarter gunner |
is in charge of each of the other maya |
zines and Of the delivery on deck
The charges are passed on from the |
ma gaines in wooden cases, which are |
painted black. with the size of caliber and |
charge painted in large white letters on |
the side. They are passed out Of the mag /
azine TO a man who sends them up 10 the /
lower deck. Then they are passed through |
a slit in the magazine serena heavy
canvas curtain which is intended to pre- |
vent the possibility Of sparks reaching
the powder stores. From this screen car
riers take the boxes TO the nearest pow
der scuttle. where they are passed up TO
the gun deck and thence TO the cannon
themselves For moving ammunition va
rious mechanical appliances, including
electricity. have come into use. though
the work is stin done by hand on some
Of the vessels.
4 crew OF sixteen men is required to
nan each OF the big guns. such as the
iwelve-inch and thirteen-inch cannon q
the Iowa and Indiana. They are divided 1
into leaders, spongers. shellmen. hand
splkemen. sidetacklemen, intscklernen and
porttacklemen, and are under the direc-
ton OF a first and second gun captain
There Is also a rsowderura- who 5alsyy.~s /