New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-27
DANGER ON BATTLE-SHIPS.
SERIOUS ACCIDENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN
AVERTED BY READY WIT AND RECk-
LESS BRAVERY OF SAILORS
AND OFFICERS.
From The Washington Post.

From The Washington Post
has served In the Navy apropos OF the uisdste' u
the the Name: " oc.or who nerlects
10 keen a careful, thinking head on his shoulders
during ali his waking hours aboard snip - nhuio
often inds himself on the very BRINK d 81 n drs
asier that without quick thinking ana In nn5
action somebody's part would fH Sba lana shpI coma
of,iccrs in the United States Navy to-day who owe
, ,he'T fa Sa' Of rim mpeHdng magazine accidents
1T was only the other day that gunner mar maj.
ser4g On ShG Gi s'e BIZ Of swift hand
work tina; will doubt boost him far up .ne ili me
being fred from the main battery OIL e,'nGn su,s
the firing The gunner's mate was stationed III
ee EonnS Sor the carrying OF verbal messages
for the commanding officer to the Officers III ci'il5e,
forecaste was l)aded and on the very needle-polni
OF being electrically fired by the skipper from sne
coming tower. when the g,nners mates ,S , sharp
OF the huge gun was not locked lie dihnt ie, our
man at the electric button to give II an accidental
push He dd not say word and o hi S al emit n,'
sound TO save his soul when he made the starll
dscsTy lie smpy y IN the 'w coming
Meeting with the big guns electric fuse fippeh
his hands and then collapsed in the coming iower
weak kitten. the commanding Officer win IN, ms
"9WhaG as YOU man. inquired the skipper
Are you arnuck or what the devil is it?
THE gunners mate gasped for a minute and
then related TO the commanding officer how near
he had come razing the TO gallant 70 e 81" even
with the spar deck. and to killing couple OF doZfh
the 'gunncr's mate. As a matter of fact there
would not have been much lefi OF the cruiser iOr,
with an IN unlocked breech This gunner mate will
not hereafter find much Difficulty in getting shore
wants TO hit the beach and the hligree tinsel that
nn WIZ NH not he Confined To- the cxpoding
shell rating badge oil his watch arm
BRAVERY OF AN APPRENTICE BOY
zone of the first of the steel ships of the new
Navy had not been in commission three months
rapid descent into the pit Of the hips endangered
magazine that put him at the TOP OF the me Tor
the gunner's warrant he now holds. The gun d.
visions of the crew were overhaun@ the after
magazine breaking out fixed ammunition and cans
OF powder and gun cotton ana clsahihs ana reu-
leading the bilges. The ship had not ~ been
equipped with electricity. and closed Lanterns
were employed TO illuminate the Clmmeria!i dark
ness Of the magazine. The lanterns, as was Gus
incandescent electric lamps on naval vessels, mad
been carefully Inspected by an officer before the
found in apparently tight order. and the work
S d. hy mans ,ne ~ blor and tack wa begun
The chief gunner's mate. under the direction Of a
OF the He leaning over the hatch. call
zine when he knoc ked the lantern he carried in his
hand against one Of the steel sides of the hatch
The spring that h., the lamp within the lantern
gave Wv ara the iamp fell through the hatch
still lighted it fell bottom side up on top of a Big
OF powder that hooked and ready to be
hoisted TO the deck The two men IN the pii OF the
magazine had gone away aft in the magazine TO
haul more cans of powder TO the hooks and, their
backs beiuS turned to the hatch opening. they
did not SCI the lantern lamp resting on the can
of powder with the flame of the wick right next
to the metal Of the can The men at the top Of the
hatch were in stupor Of horror. but the alert
apprentice boy, who aftcrward got his sword for
the job wide awake. He Skinned down the
tackle instant after the lamp fell. grabbed the
lamp. the flame Of which had already begun to
heat the can metal. and yelled up the hatch:
Pull me and the can up to the main deck. you
Having cxtnguished the lamp with his fingers
he grabbed the rope with his right hand and the
can Of powder with his left. and the men az thc
Jiy. The apprentice boy scOOted up the poop lad
dcr and chuc BED The heavy can Of powder oyer the
complain Of the loss Of the powder.
FIREMAN's PRESENCE OF MIND
"a sccond-class fireman serving Oh one OF the
smaller cruiser- had his head about him when the
magazine of his ship Was threatened. few years
ago. and bee has had Tho much better rating of a
tho hiJ X gang WA cleaning his section of the
after oneIrc-IOOn iilgcs one morning. Ills par
ucular s., elton OF thc his,s was on the stdrboard
SlH' OF th' tAIrmr after I"rt oi the tngnt-roon.
Immediately an of tne ensinc-rJOm was the ships
magazine. separated from the oupiuc-ro1m by q
steel ptrltou. Ilaes are cleaned with tutpcutuc-
one Of tine small tIrptntiuc cans provided for the
purpose dragged a nVc-galOn can Of turpentine 10
strictly prohibited ia the engre-rooms Of a man-of-
war. on account Of the large amount OF combusti-
bic stores necessarily slowed below. This bge- |
cleaner was Ncss sort Of blade. however. and
when he had got his bige-clcluing under way he |
took out his pipe and lit ii. orcrssly chuckng the
fnatch ~ the LiEc. There WAS some turpentine in /
bhge. and tn match. still aslow. set IL into a !
fam. The bie'-cle.ner jumped TO his feet. and in
doing $50 H. overturned the five gallons Of turpen- ]
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