The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-13

become, OF sudden, fighting men
men who feel and show their feelings,
though not TO the extent of emitting to
perform their work with the same me-
chanical precision as ever. And when
the fire of their ship is returned, when
the throbbing swish OF shell answering
shell is in all the air, then the Ameri-
can man-of-war's man DISPLAYS the
characteristics that have made bis per-
sonality one Of the distinctions of his.
tory.
Opportunities like this have been
scarce with the fleet, however, and
when the orders come TO coal ship the
occasion is hailed as a diversion. The
entire fleet was in need of coal not
many days ago, and with four we'll
filed GOLFERS at hand, the work pro-
crossed as rapidly as could be expected.
The landing at Guantanamo had Just
been effected, and two of the GOLFERS
were stationed there. Every day ships
from the fleet were sent TO them, and
in the smooth water coaling was rapid.
Five hundred tons of coal was put on
board the Oregon in one day, which,
considering that she travelled eighty
miles to and from her station, was do
ing remarkably well. Another day the
Texas coaled and fought at the same
time, which was something of new
experience.
Meantime it was too rough off San
tiago to 60 alongside collier for three
days, and when the feat was finally at
tempted it was fine sight for lands
man. On June II, for instance, the
cruiser New York was made fast to the
collier Kington, and for half an hour
there was greater display of seaman
ship than is often seen in New York
harbor. The cruiser, as the more man.
ageable vessel, was brought alongside
the collier. The latter, though mighty
solid.looking ship and apparently very
steady in the water as she stood alone,
grew small rapidly on the approach of
the larger vessel. Beside the stately
cruiser, too, she seemed to be rolling
and pitching in most dangerous man
ner.
Everything was ready on the New
York. The broadside guns had been
trained in flat to the ships side, tenders
had been placed in position beside all
projections, and long lines of hswsers,
with heaving lines attached, were laid
out along the decks. AS the ships
drew near each other the heaving lines
were thrown, their weighted ends fly
ing well over onto the GOLFERS decks,
and the loose coils thrown with them
unwinding in the air. There were
answering lines cast over from the col
lier, and in an instant several groups
of men were heaving on the hawsers
From Captain down, the officers on
Irrtxy oh tnh I'D hn
ceedings carefully, and made sugges-
tons or gave extra orders as necessary.
The more active uperintendence of the
work was confided to the boatswains
and petty officers, whose orders fol-
lowed one another with bewildering
rapidity. With "yo heave" here, a
pull with song there, or turn about
the capstan, the half-dozen lines be-
tween the ships were drawn taut and
the ships made fast. Bights were
passed as quickly as possible, making
three lines instead of one for every fas-
tening, but before all could be made
fast several lines had parted. The big
hawsers, which a dozen men could
scarcely pull taut, were snapped by the
rolling of the ships as easily as strings
in the hands of strong man, and oc-
casionally during the time spent in
cosling the rasp and pop of parting
line could be heard above the rattle of
the winches.
The coal was put aboard the cruiser
in the regular coal sacks, made out of
heavy, rope-bound canvas and holding
about 500 pounds each. Two matches
were opened on the collier, and the
bags were filled and hoisted out two at
time. They were lifted out by the
GOLFERS winches and drawn over and
lowered by those on the cruiser. The
sacks were deposited on low, flat trucks
on the spar deck and were dragged TO
the various chutes leading to the bunk
ers and dumped. The work was slow
and mighty hot, and thin, black dust
permeating everything arose from it.
The men took it as they take every
thing, working steadily, but with spirit.
| The dust settled on them until they be-
gan to look like burnt cork MINISTRIES,
and they must have realized it, too, for
they were as full of capers, impromptu
songs and dances and well-timed Jokes
as the merriest Ministries that ever
were.
During the hours rest at noon the
men quoted down good deal, but in
the afternoon they took up the work in
the same way, and at night when the
collier was cast off, with orders to re-
port again the next morning, there was
just as much Jackies' fun going on as
though every man of the crew had done
nothing but loaf the whole day. 1t was
at seven bells the next morning that
the effect of the hard work became ap-
parent. 1t took quarter of an hour of
hard shouting to rouse the men out of
their hammocks, though after hasty
wash and their breakfast they were
ready to go at it again. They took in
more coal the second day than the first,
too, and the third babe fair to be
record breaker, when halt was called
in the middle of the afternoon on ac-
count of rain.-New York Sun.
HhocEa1 Inv a Sion