The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-25


New York, the Brooklyn and the rest
of the triumphant fleet have echoed to
the tread Of an admiring host Of Ameri-
can citizens-citizens who have just
awakened to the fact that they have a
navy that can fight remarkable bat
ties in remarkably short space of
time.
The mere fact that these vessels
have all been inspected and viewed
many times before has nothing 10 90
with it. That wonderful chase off san
tiago and the humiliation of mighty
Spanish feet have vested each craft
from the stately flagship to the second
class battleship Texas with such a
halo OF interest and romance that the
drawing properties OF a circus pale
into insignificance before it.
The crowds that descended upon the
feet directly anchors were dropped off
TomDkinsville, literally besieged the
ships, and when it became necessary
to. commence needful repairs, the au-
thorities at Washington were COM
PEELED to issue orders closing the gang
ways, and even the gates at the
Brooklyn navy yard. There were no
complaints because of this influx of
visitors from the officers and crew,
however Jack and his superiors are
never happier than when the decks
are thrOnged with visitors from shore.
They like the attention and they like
to feel that their mastens-the Ameri-
can peOple-aTe Interested in them.
Fighting Bob Evans, the captain
of the Iowa. said recently: Il would
be glad to show my ship to every man
and woman, boy Or girl in the whole
country l am only sorry that l can t
90 on deck and greet every visitor per-
sonally. They are indeed welcome TO
any ship l command
There are very few officers in the
navy today who would not echo the
sentiment And that is the reason
why every visitor to a man-of-War
when he leaves the navy yard gates,
or the gangWay, as the case may be,
feels that he has been personally well
coined and has been treated with cor
dial hospitality. That is a way the
naval officer and the naval Jackie
have.
The Brooklyn navy yard is the
mecca of two-t thirds of the strangers
who annually visit New York City, but
within the past month hosts of hon
est citizens. who have lived all their
lives almost within sound of the naval
work-st CD whistle without entf ing
the gate, have eagerly sought admis-
sion TO see the ships of Simpsons
fleet
Admission is by pass obtained from
the captain of the yard. Armed with
this the visitor betakes himself to the
gate at the foot of Sands street, Brook
lyn, where he is compelled to submit
to the scrutiny of a Waterman and
several marines. Once inside the yard.
a yard regularly laid out with streets
and buildings and parks, gas lamps,
police and an efficient fire department,
It is easy enough to find the water
front where are mOored the various
ships of war undergoing repairs.
1t is now the visitor finds that the
pass-an OfFicial-lColing document
duly signed ard. sealed-is potent only
in the yard itself. The pass has no
standing or influence on board q ship
in commission. This fact is learned
when the honest citizen is stopped at
the gangNVay of ship by a marine
sentry and informed in any kind OF
dialect that IT'S no good here, sir. If
you want to go aboard this ship you
must get permission from the offlcer
of the deck"
During certain hours, however, this
particular yard of red tape is not In
evidence. and visitors are permitted TO
look and explore and stare to their
hearts content Once over the gang
way the welcome shows itself. The
officer of the deck, a dapper young en-
sign. looking very cool and neat in his
white uniform, generally approaches
and asks if the visitor or visitors
would like to see the ship. On being
answered in the affirmative. the young
officer bechons to some apprentice or
bIuejacket of whom there are gener-
ally number in waiting, and says
easily. Thompson, show these people
the sights Explain the turrets and
anything else they may care to see.
"Thompson." as trim and neat in
his way as the officer grins and gives
70 q
ladies of the party and steps toward
the nearest gun, which. in the case,
says Of the Texas, Is a siX-inch oreech-
loader, mounted as a pivot on the edge
of the quarter deck. He graspS the
training lever in a businesslike man
ner. shows how the piece is elevated
or depressed. then opens the breech
with a quick swing.
This here gun is a beaut. ladies and
gentlemen he says with pride. 1t
fires g shell weighing 100 pounds,
uses 20 pounds of powder to do II,
and say. what do you tink. one of
these here shells II knock the stuftin'
out Of any old. Dago ark ahoat. Shes
a lulu
A red-painted submarine mine, close
y resembling one Of the buoys to be
met in every harbor. stands near the
gun. and Thompson states that it was
picked 10 in Guantanamo shortly after
the Texas had unsuspectingiy passed
over it.
TT was what me- barber calls a close
shave" explains the bluejacket. If that
ting had gone off while we was above
it tn Texas would be joining hands
wild the poor old Maine We found
? enough gUIncotton in it to blow tn Stats
out of any hooker afloat. We struck it
all right. but tn firm pin wouldn't
work Just like all tn stuff them Da-
gOs git up.
= He leads the way TO a h2tchway for
ward of the six-irch pivot The lad
der extending below fades into obscur-
ity. and it is with some timidity that
visitors prepare to descend. The in
cline is sharp. and the aperture small,
but THOMPSON pilots them in safety,
saying as he does so, Just duck your
heads. there, ladies' and gents. That
coaming is harder than bone betcher
life. There was q dude rammed his
nut agin it yesterday. and he made
damn sDot on tn deck with his bleed.
This war, please. We've got to go
deck lower before we can git into the
turret."
Incandescent lights make the gloom
of the interior more apparent, strange
objects, shapeless in the semi dark
ness, bar the way at every step: there
is a closeness in the air which would
be sitting if it were not for the venti-
lating blowers. which can be heard
Whirring ana humming in each pas
sageway. The ceilings are low, and
cork painted beams reach within an
inch Of the visitors head. On both
sides stretch partitions of steel.
Thompson leads the way with per-