The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1898-05-12

- | wv 'NaA h@N FN"t
g When eyeythlns il really lhe officers
= nove to their stations II the ship !. .
e mopitof the battle h.tcbos are clGsed, snd
The men 81 last hear the hnsl command
: tor Which they have been impslisntly
{ sntlng "Acliop
\ At that commsnd the door. ot tho msss
. Eiues are opened, and tho men, who form
> the On rent chains OF seuttles begin 10
{ to pass the cartridge cases up to the deck
The delivery OF ammunition is In charge
Of the snuntr. 10 modern naval fortunes
| the gunner il not, as mauy lsndluhbtrr
suppose, the man who Ares the cannon
He is q warrant rilicer. aud his position
is most responsible one 10 time OF action
for be must see 10 the prompt sld steady
delivery OF csrtridgef, shells and prolec
tilcs to sll the snts, The chief gunner
takes his position on the berth decs
where he can note the progress OF the
work, bis chief assistant is below in the
maia msgtzIne suprlntending the hand
lns out OF powder, aud quarter gunner
Is 10 charge OF each Of the other magazines
and Of the delivery on deck
| The charges are passed up from the
magazines in wooden cases which are
painted BLACK, with the sigs OF caiber and
charge painted in large white letters on
the side They are passed ont OF the
mags zine to man who sends them up TO
the lower deck, Then they are passed
through slit in the mag zine screen-s
heavy canvas curtain which is Intended
to prevent the possibility OF sparks reach
ing to the powder stores, From this
screen carriers take the boxes TO the near
est powder scuttle, where they are passed
up TO the gun deck and and thence to
the cannon themselves. For moving am
muuition various mechanical appliances,
including electricity. have come into use.
though the work is still done by hand on
some of the vessels.
| believe 10 the hand liz for smmuni
tiou, SAYS Rear Admiral Henry Erben, be
csnse II you depend on electricity the ont q
ting OF breaking OF wire knocks you out
but II man is cut in two you can put an
other il his place. G
A crew OF sixteen men is required to /
man each OF the big guns. such rs the i
twelve.inch and thlrteen-inch cannon OF .
the Iowa and Indiana. They sre divided
into leaders, spongers, sbell-men. hand
spike men. sidetscklemen, intack emen end
and are under the direc
tion OF q first and second gun captain tI
There is also 3 powdermsr. who delivers II
the charge to the Gun, a fireman and y
wreck clearer 81
The firing OF pivot or turret gun re
luires ten separate c, mmsDds. Most of 2
.hese explain themselves. They are as b
folows Il
/ Slencel Cast loose and provided "
2 Run in
g. SHIFT pivot sc
4. Serve vent and spoDgel al
8. Load tr
G. Run oull pl
T. Prmel 2,
s. Poiutl tr
O. Ready, 1rel
10. Shift and secure oi
IL the ship is under way The man with at
he range finder is kept busy calling of ",
be distance Of the eneny's ship or what so
yer the target may be. As each new dis st
ance is annouLc ced the gun ia adjusted to
bat range. At the order TO Point" No Al
OF the gun crew adjusts the sights to his We
atisioction. while oil the others stand tb
sck from the qua. Then ut the order
Ready p be takes a final look draws his ku
'nyard and quickly repeats "Firel" be
In firing 1T ship the target is always
30 vsterline. Though the computing All
lstruments Low used are Of great value, ki,
le only way TO get the eIsot range now,
formerly, is to sec whether the frat th,
lot falls sbort or over, aud TO move ber 90,
notch or let her down ae the case may We
.aure. the
The firing OF this f'st shot releases the the
sntup tension OF the preparations, which tur
succeeded by fever OF work. The
1ts u powder carriers and runner boys to
owe steadily back aud forward, the men up
the turrets are soon black eued by pow 10
i and smoke until they look more like
Fps than human beings, bu, they work val
81 coolly IS the engineers, far below ~
lmindfu OF shots that crash about them. !
l the splendid discipline and training OF ths
ars makes itself felt in these few mo '
ents OF fighting as the sailor boys drive n
cir ship msnfully on, still eager to know ban