Evening journal., 1898-08-11
w1cwAGG1NG ON sHIPBoARD.
brooklyn Girl Applies Signal TO
the War Vessels Carve
Calculator.


A clever Brooklyn girl, who was by no
means as unsophisticated in naval mat
ters as she appeared TO be, was piloted
over one Of the fighting ships at the
navy yard few months ago by young
ensign. who made the most of his OPP
portunity. He told her how deadly the
torpedoes were, and he thought it no
harm to double their effectiveness in
the telling.
"When one Of these torpedoes ex-
plodes." said the ensign, wisely, sit kills
all the fish within a radius of half
mile, and frequently its force is so great
that the bottom of the sea is laid bare
How very interesting" said the
Brooklyn girl, "and suppose you have
seen the bottom of the sea frequently"
"Well, you see, er-er, have never
been detailed for torpedo practice" b" said
the ensign evasively. The ensign told
the Brooklyn girl that the siN-;nch guns
on board were constructed on the prin-
ciple which is so beautifully illustrated
by the baseball pitcher, and that they
could be gauged to throw any kind Of a
curve.
THAT must be a great advantage
said the girl, l,thoughtfully.
Indeed it is" said the ensign. 1T
permits all of our guns to go into action
at the same time. When, for instance
the siar0oard guns get the range and
begin firing, the captain passes the word
TO the gunncrs on the port side; Get
ou 10 YOUR curves This well-known or.
der, by the way, IS the original Of the
now current slang expression"
"What happens then?" asked the
brooklyn girl, anNiousiy.
Then" continued the ensign
though.fully, "tSe best mathematician
en- the ship is assigned to calculate thl
curves. That is my duty now. Th'
curve calculator, knowing the range
given to the starbc2rd guns, calculate
the curve and range for each port gun
and the gunners gauge according TO fl
Thus, you sec, while the starboard gun
are firing straight at the enemy th
port guns are throwing projectiles in
curve around the bow and stern of tn
ship"
but if these projectiles are no
stopped in their course, isn't there dan
ger that they may complete the circl
and come back and hit the shipY" askc
the Brooklyn girl.
"That all depends on the curve ca
culator," said the ensign, proudly.
The Brooklyn girl looked at him a
if she had been profoundly impresse
- or tremendously amused, and the eI
I sign decided in favor Of the former II
depreciation. He escorted the Brookly
. girl about the deck, and suddenly 81
saw a commotion on the flagship, whic
! was anchored about 600 yards away.
! sailor was waving a flag back and fort
= and a man on the ensign's ship SCENE
: to be watching it with interest.
: "What are these two men doing?' 81
7 asked.
'They are wigwaggdng."
u "Dear me, is that q form Of naval pu
; ishment2"
"No, Indeed" said the ensign; 9Th
ship over there is the admirars fagshi
and the man who is waving a flag
sending an important order from Il
admiral to this ship"
"Can you read it?" asked the girl.
1T is too late to catch the full ord
now," said the ensign, "but we will he
the signalman report it to the officer
d the deck. 1t may be an order TO prepa
e for war at once"
II The Brooklyn girl tried hard to lo
e impressed by this martial suggestion
a she accompanied the ensign to whe
II the officer of the deck was stundir
The signalman had completed the nj
T sage, and coming to the officer of t
q deck, he stopped, saluted, and said:
n San order from the flagship, sir"
m "What is it?" said the officer, {
p knowledging the salute.
+ "Scrub at discretion, sir" said
s. signalman, and, salutlng, he walk
u away.
IN The ensign's expression was blaI
and the Brooklyn girl laughed.
"a THANK you very much for your XII
or ness" she said. "Iknow that, after II
re order from the admiral, you, as ofilc
ls' curve calculator, viii have work TO
On so I will Join my friends ashore"
ie- This ensign has been suspicious Of
ge genuous Brooklyn girls who have sil
ed visited his ship, and he has congr
lg ulated himself that the wardroom m
knew nothing about the Incident
IN Y. Sun.