The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-22
LIFE lBOlb / HlRSA|R.
PRECAUTIONS TAKEN AGAjlgsr ~
ERY KIND or ACCIDENT.
the sai1er-TAe Daaeers and the
Annsyances lnesaensal - the
wesk ana the strict Dfscipsanes

Said . man well posted on naval at
fairs who has served Ia the navy. 1propos
Of the dfsaster TO the Maine:
The man-of-war's man or of1icer who
nexlects to keep q careful. thinking head
on his shoulders during all his waking
hours aboard ship is liable to get hurt.
Danger turks everywhere on q modern
ship OF war. The most careful naval sail
orman often finds himself on the very
brink OF q disaster that without quick
thinking and lightning Setion on some
body's part would Land him ami many Of
his shlpmates. II not his whole ships COM
pany. in kingdom come There are several
warrant o4ncers IN the United States navy
today who owe their uniforms to rapid
Judgment and bravery In the face Of inn
pending magazine accidents.
"It was only the other day that a gun
ner's mate. serving on one Of the ships %
the North Atlantic sqnadrons exhibited a
bit of swift head and hand work that Will
no doubt boost him far up the line fer .
warrant ofhcer's hlouee. Tie ship was en-
gazing In big gun practice at sea. Solid
shot was being fired from the main bat
terry Of S-inch guns. The skipper was in
the coming tower directing the firing
The guDner's mate was stationed In the
coming tower with the skipper ana serv-
ing as messenger for the carrying OF YER
1ACSSaktS
to the officers in charge OF guns. One Of
the big guns on the topgallant forecastle
was loaded. and on the very needle point
of being electrically fred by the skip
per from the coming tower. when the
ganner's mates sharp eye took In at q
sudden glance that. the breech of the huge
gun was not locked He didn't let out any
disconcsrting yell that might have caused
the man at the electric button 10 give IL
an accidental push. He did not say word.
and he said afterward that he would not
have been able to emit q sound 20 save his
soul when he made the startling discovery
He simply made two bounds for the ex-
posed Insulated wire IN the coming tow
er connecting with the big guns electric
fuse. ripped II in several pieces with all
the strength OF both his hands. and then
collapsed In the coming tower. weak as a
kitten, the commanding officer. with his
finger still OH the electric button. gazing
al him wonderingly.
What ais you. man. inquired the
skipper. Are you amuck. or what the
devil is it,.
THE gunner's mate gasped Ger mln-
ute and then related to the CO. nanding
officers how near he had come TO raxinE
the to'gallant fo'c'sle even with the spar
deck and to killing a couple OF dozen Of
officers and men. rncludin' me and you,
said the gunner's mate. As matter OF
fact. there would not have been much left
OF the cruiser forward OF the mainmast
had the big gun been fred with the uI-
locked breech. This gunners mate will
not hereafter find much difnculty IN get
ting shore leave, fourth class or no
fourth class, when he wants to hit the
beach, and the filigree tinsel that he will
probably wear on his uniform not very
long hence will not be confined to the ev-
pioding shell rating badge on his wa.sn
arm.
Bravery OF m Appre ntice hoy.
zone or the first OF the steel ships OF the
new navy had not been In commission
three months before a ievei-headed apprs NJ
tice boy executed a rapid descent into the
pit of the ships endangered magazine that
put him at the top OF the line for the gum
ners warrant he now holds. The gun III
vislnnS or the crew were overhauling the
after misunderstanding out fixed amma-
milton and cans Of powder and gun cot
tor and cleaning and red-leadiHg the
bilges The ship had not yet been equipped
with electricity. and so closed lanterns
were employed to illuminate the Chm
merriam darkness OF the magazine. The lar
terms. as was customary on men-of-war be-