The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-05
Fighting From "a Turret.
From Golfers Weekly.

hiOAh RpAAAti = WtGhiS.
Between the guns and the sides Of the
turrets are stationed the men who tend
the training motors, open and close the
! breech, and clean out the powder cham
bers. In the rear of each gun is a DOW
erful 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 proJectie is forced up
into the gun. At this hammer stands the
gun captain, who superntends the load
ing, and the first sponger, who sees to the
! preparation of the gun for receiving the
charge. Between the platform on which
these men stand and the face of the
breech is light trap door, covering a
shaft, up which the ammunition lifts are
holsted from the handling room below On
the glrders between the guns are stationed
| the men operating the ammunition lifts.
the water service and the various signals
and telephones.
| There is a disposition to chatter among
| the apprentices the suspense is great and
lnactton Is hard TO bear, especially as all
OF the light guns now seem to be engaged
Train on the entrance to the harbor"
The motors utter a groan and the pom
derous cylinder swings slowly round
wheeling and rumbling The range indi-
Gator mounts quickly to $500 yards and
stops; the telephone rings and its attend
ant reports.
Fire at viii"
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 dis
tinct
Suddenly there Is a rift, and In il an
pears the black hull of a ship-a sfrang-
er, but aft she carries a grand ensign
marked with the blood and gold Of Spain
From her side and turrets there Is a con-
tinuous play of lightning flashes. but the
din of nearer guns allow no sound from
her 10 be distinguished. one questions
uncertainty for an instant: us she fight
ing? is she firing a us? Is this naval
battie?" And then comes the eager anx-
iety to do ones own part and do IL well
Inc sixteen men about the guns are
now silent and expectant. The turret
turns slowly-slower-stops The ship is
rolling gently, while the enemy's huh be-
tween her smokestacks is sweeping on 10
meet the descending crossWires Of the tele-
scope; 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, a binding fash. the
great gun recoils wildly into the turret
and then slides smoothly out again. The
AR IL filled with smoke; two men are
already turning like mad at the plug
crank, and, as the half-ton block swings
aside, third directs a stream OF water
into the chamber. A 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 can
tain takes charge, and the officer turns
to the other gun. He glances at the
fa.r II.
yards-sets the sight, and moment later
the smoke lifts again.
Two Spanish ships are now out and a
third is in the entrance the flrst one
seer1s on fire. Was IL from his shotP who
can tell? For dozen heavy guns are
firing at her. "A 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 mainline the first gun mas been
lowered into us loading position, the am
munition car has been hoisted in rear OF
1t and the rammer has forced home the
shell. Twice more 1t enters the breecb
each time pressing before it 90 pounds of
powder. With its last withdrawal. the
empty ammunition car drops out OF SIGHT
the brcech-plug is swung into place. Inc
gun captain steps forward, slips In the
primer and connects the plugs Of the firing
wires
Ready left" he reports.
And so it goes, first one gun and then
the other 1t is hard and hot work. The
firing is so fast and continuous that the
fans cannot keep the turret clear of smoke.
The men caugh and gag; down in the
handling room they are fainHng. The
smoke has deposited a gray scurf on skin
and clothes; its alkali has attacked the
patchwork and turned il to a Shiny soap;
the black drlppings from the gun washing
has fallen in foul splotches down the tur-
ret walls and lies I'm puddles on the floors
Diplomacy "Whut is you gwinter
name dat chile?" inquired the visitor ia
the kitchen.
We'll" replied the old colored woman.