The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-03

scene of battle hut their senses kcenly
alive to the fact that torpedo or shell
below, or through the armor belt may
mean death. these men work with an
energy that proves their patriotism and
devotion TO the flag. On this day they
sent ND to the various turrets and gufi>
over 10000 pounds of ammunition, taking
il carefully out of the big magazines
without accident.
The men detailed in the handling
rooms of the Brooklyn are from the
fifth or powder division, composed of
those not detailed rs guns crew. such
as carpenters and gunncr's mates, ser
wants. idlcrs of all kinds and the relief
watch of the engineers division This
medley of men is of many nationalltics
and is known on board the Brooklyn as
"Coxey's Army" and is. commanded by
the senior deck officer. Drs. Griffin. with
four or five other officers us assistants,
each assistant having charge of a see
ton of about forty or fifty men. the
whole division taking charge of all maya
zine holds and all spaces between decks
during action.
At the clang of the alarm for general
quarters" the men rushed for their sta
tions. struggling through Il small steel
hatch in the protective deck. and down
narrow and almost vertical ladder to
the magazines and shell rooms below.
The officer in charge. DR.. Griffin. hur-
ried to the cabin for the magazine keys.
grabbed the small leather bag contain
ing them, from the hand of the marine
orderly on duty ut the door Of the cap
tain's cabin. and rushed after his. men.
distributing the keys as rapidly as possi-
bic to those already standing ut the
hoX-likc tops Of the magazines. the bolts
of which had already been looscned. The
ammunition whips were quickly laid out,
the men standing with their hands
ON small lever ready to turn on the
current of the electric hoists, as soon rs
the matches were off. When everything
was seen to be clear the endless chains
of the hosts start with the whir of the
motor and roll their loads of rapid
fire ammunition to the decks above where
men are stationed to receive it. Down
the chute of the S-inch gun turrct. rs
an accompaniment to the deep rumble
of the turret as it slowly swung from
amidshipS to the post or Starboard.
comes the command. Full charges, com
mon shot" from the officer i'll change
of the turret and the answer quickly
goes back aye, aye, sir" and as a
response to a lower tone of voice, Quick
lads lively now" up comes the long pow
der tanks and heavy $50 pound shell to
the base of the turret. There the shell
was quickly seized in the tongs by two
stawart apprentices. raised and rammed
home in the car: the tops of the long
copper powder tanks taken off and the
powder in two sections placed in the
other compartments Of the car. the sig
nal given and both ears quickly rise to
the brecch of the turrct guns and are
sent back, almost as quickly cmpticd.
All this preparation of getting ready oc-
cupied a space of four minutes time.
After that all the men went below and the
matches were lowered ana secured. The
heat varies in this steel cage from 40 to
1I6 degrees. Farenheit, and quickly
causes the men to strip to the waist
and settle down to their work in an air
tight box filed with sweltcring humanity.
blindly obeying orders, with unqucstion-
ing obedience and alacrity, not knowing
the cause of the alarm, whether target
practice, bombardment of the Spanish
fleet or a false alarm.
Suddenly the report of the first gun
was heard, followed in quick succession
by another, and the battle was on. Down
the hoists and chutes comes the powder
smoke to add to the already high temper
AZURE Of the handling room, followed by
the hot saltpetre water from the spong-
ing of the guns, making the decks slip
perry and burning blisters on the bare
backs of the men underneath, who, CROP
ing and choking, feeling their way
through the dense smoke, go silently
and obediently about their work with
but one thought and aim in view; to
keep those continually empty cars and
hoists filed with powder and projectilcs,
not knowing how the battle is raging I'M
til cheer is finally heard from deck,
their spirits brighten and an old salt will
exclaim: Il guess they must have hit
'em that time" Then he goes up and
spits on a large shell for good luck, or
as yell is heard "Armor piercing, quick"
and the shells are quickly changed, he
takes an old oIey rag and rubs the
cap of the proiectile, saying: ''That'll
make 'er bite better" and the young
boy of the new navy, who has been in
the service as many months as the old
salt has years, exclaims to his shipmates
"Ah, what's he giving u.s.
l.
room on the third Of July, except that
once III a while the rush was broken by
a carelessly handled shell dropping. One
came down in the forward handling room
when Mr.. Hancock had charge the day
of the battle. There was the low rumble
as it dropped the forty feet. Stand
clear" shouts Hancock, but the command
is supcrfluous for if the shell had ex-
ploded no man in that place would ever
have seen daylight again. 1t didn't ex.
plode and as the handlers gasped in
their temporarily departed breath 4
prayer went up to Heaven and many
uncomplimentary adjectives TO the fellow
in the turret between them and Heaven
SOME OTHERS HEROES.
There were other heroes that day, mer
who never see the battle, but do the work
that keeps everything in the ships i'll mo-
ton and take Il risk greater than. com
modore of captain. When the Vizcaya
had been sunk and beached that day
Captain Cook having been ordered by
Commodore Schley to cease firing, called
the men from the handling rooms and
the turret to take n breath of air while
the chase Of the Colon went on But
the battle was on for men not visible
Down below informed only OF