Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-08-03

check with a sponge, oils the
breech plug, extracts the exploded
primer and sees that the vent is
clear. No. 4 seizes the long
bristle sponge, wet with water,
and assisted by No. 3 sponges the
gun, lays aside the sponge and
seizes the hammer, ready to drive
home the new charge.
While they have been working
there has appeared at the top of the
ammunition hoist new shells and
new ammunition, and the officer in
command of the turret cries load"
No. raises the ammunition cor
ner Of the hoist and with the as
sistance Of No. 5 of the other gun,
grasps the handles upon the carri-
age and swings it to the rear Of
the gun. The projectile is first on
the left, and No. adjusts the pri-
mer while No. 4, assisted by No.
6, rams home the 200 pound pro-
jectile.
Then in quick succession No. 5,
No. 4 and No. ram in the two
charges of powder in packages of
So pounds, each done up in serge
or muslin and in grains weighing
an ounce and a quarter each. No.
2 closes the breech, No. l again
connects the wire and the gun is
ready to fire. All this has taken
just four minutes and with two
guns, the big turret is shooting
once every two minutes.
THE POWDER DIVISION.
But where are the mysterious
hands that send up these death
dealing charges to the guns in such
ghost-like way? Down below the
water line Of the ship, beneath the
protective deck that in too many
battleships has proved the lid to
the coffin of hundreds of brave
men, is naked, perspiring crowd
of heroes, their eyes effectually
closed to the changing scene of bat
tie, but their senses keenly alive
to the fact that torpedo or shell be-
low, or through the armor belt may
mean death, these men work with
an energy that proves their pa
triotism and devotion to the flag.
On this day they sent up to the
various turrets and guns over TO-
600 pounds of ammunition, taking it
carefully out of TIE big magazines
without accident.
The men detailed in the handling
rooms of tho Brooklyn are from the
fifth or power division, composed of
those not detailed as gun crews,
such as carpenters and gunner's
mates, servants, idlers Of all kinds
and the relief watch of the engi-
neers division. This medley of men
is of many nationalities and is
known on board the Brooklyn as
"Coxey's army" and is commanded
by the senior deck officer, DR.. Grit
fin, with four or five other officers
as assistants, each assistant having
charge of a section of about forty
or fifty men, the whole division
taking charge of all magazine holds
and all space between decks during
action.
At the claag Of the alarm for
general quarters" the men rushed
for their stations, struggling
through a small steel hatch in the
protective deck, and down mar
row and almost vertical ladder to
the magazines and and shell rooms
below. The officer in charge, DR..
Griffin, hurried to the cabin for the
magazine keys, grabbed the small
leather bag containing them, from
the hand of the marine orderly On
duty at the door of the captains ca
bin, and rushed after his men, dis
tributing the keys as rapidly as
possible to those already standing
at the box-like tops Of the maya
zines, the bolts of which had al
ready been loosened. The ammu-
milton whips were quickly led out,
and the men standing with their
hands on the small lever ready to
turn on the current of the electric
hoists, as soon as the matches were
off. When everything was seen to
be clear the endless chains Of the
hoists start with the whir CT the
motor and rolled their loads of
rapid-fre ammunition to the decks
above where men were stationed
to receive it. Down the chute of
the S-inch gun turret, as an accom-
paniment to the deep rumble of the
turret as it slowly swung from
amidships to the port or starboard,
comes the command, full charges,
common shot," from the officer in
charge of the turret and the an
swer quickly goes back, AYE, aye,
ST." and as response to a lower