The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-08-12
FIGHTING IN THE MAST.
How tho Rapid Fire Guns in the Fight
Ing Top arc Operated.

Ing Top arc Operated.
Fighting in the military mast Of the
big battleships in our navy will prob
ably be the most dangerous duty our
seamen will be called upon to perform
in the war with Spain, says the Kansas
City Journal.
Exposed to the full fury Of the en-
emy's fire, with scarcely any protec-
tion, and with the possibility Of having
the entire mast shot away, the man on
duty in the mast is in position per-
haps the most dangerous in all modern
naval warfare.
The steel barbettes of the present
time, save in certain battleships, where
an overhead shield is carried, give
protection more apparent than real,
more picturesque than practical. And
while the military top crews have the
advantage of seeing something of the
scrimmage, yet they present too in
viting mark to the enemy, and have
stations which in battle are pretty sure
to be untenable from the heat and
smoke.
/ The small arms men have frequent
practice aboard ship, and considering
the difficulties of the environment, are
good marksmen. 1t is no easy task to
fire from platform placed at the fob
end of a pendulum, swinging irregu-
! larly, and the results attained testify to
the value of the drill and to the ply
sique of the individual.
On the larger battleships the mill
tary masts are hollow, and access to
the fighting tops is gained through the
interior The ammunition is also pass
ed up inside. In the smoke and CRIME
of battle one can well realize what a
hell these places would be.
Another thing that must be consid-
cred is the fact that this will be the
United States navy's first practical test
! Of the modern warship. The last ten
years have brought about a greater
and more sudden change in the out
ward appearance of men-of-war than
has ever been recorded in the history
of naval affairs This is in the main
B uuC W lhC dlluOSJ SOluplClC plhloA-
ment of sails, yards, and the more or
less intricate rigging necessitated by
their use, in favor of military masts,
or, in some cases, mere signal poles.
The military mast of to-day is con-
structed primarily to carry guns, and
secondarily for signalling. purposes,
for it must be remembered that in all
cases In which ships have been equip
ped with fighting tops since their very
first inception, the primary duty of the
mast which upheld it was to carry
sail for the propulsion of the ship.
Some Of the masts are supplied with
an upper top for the electric light, a
peculiarly shaped edifce below to en-
able three quick-firing guns to be dis
charged right ahead, and species OF
coming tower below, from which the
captain can overlook the smoke clouds
and see to direct his ship in action
The later types are all constructed
with much the same ideas.
Some have a lookout, or coming
tower, others have not, but all have
three or six FOUNDER quick-firing guns
and electric light projectors, and one
or two lighter machine guns in add.
ton
The small caliber rapid-fire and ma
chine guns employed in tops are sup.
ported by riflemen, and in every fight
their work of clearing the guns, sweep
ing the decks and superstructures, and
Of picking off the officers and leading
men is, to say the least, hazardous. In
the galley days the military tops were
fairly well protected, but during the
sail era the topmen handling the swi
vel pieces and deck rakers, and form
ing special corps of musketeers, hat
no protection, except what was giver
by a network of mattress-filled ham
mocks.
1t would take a big projectile tt
. bring mast down, but then, if it did
great would be the fall thereof. Ant
think Of the poor devils that would
come crashing down with it! An(
think of them even if the mast doesn'
come down, perched UP there, Twins
targets for shot and shell! The thi1
plating is of no avail against anything
larger than rifle bullet, and a small
shell might pass harmlessly over tn,
heads of the men in an open top which
in closed one would have been burs
by the iron sides and scatter death AM
destruction within.