The Winslow mail., 1898-07-16
w1GwAGGING ON sHIpBoARD.
Brooklyn Girl Applies a Signal to
the War Vessels Curve
CaIcIIatGr.

means as unsophisticated in naval mat
ters as she appeared to be, was piloted
over ore of the fighting ships at the
navy yard few months ago by young
ensign, who made the most of his op-
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 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 Isuppose you have
seen the bottom of the sea frequently"
'Well, you see, er-er, have never
been detailed for torpedo practice" said
the ensign evasively. The ensign told
the Brooklyn girl that the six-lnch 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
curve.
"That must be a great advantage" ;"
said the girl, thoughtfully.
Indeed it is" said the ensign. 'It
permits all of our guns to go into action
at the same time. When, for instance,
the starboard guns get the range and
begin firing, the captain passes the word
to the gunners on the port side: Get
on to 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, anxiously.
''Then," continued the ensign,
thoughtfqlly, "the best mathematician
on the ship is assigned to calculate the
curves. That is my duty now. The
curve calculator, knowing the range
given to the starboard guns, calculates
the curve and range for each port gun,
and the gunners gauge according to it.
Thus, you see, while the starboard guns
are firing straight at the enemy the
port guns are throwing projectiles in
curve around the bow and stern of the
ship"
"But if these projectiles are not
stopped in their course, isn't there dan
ger that they may complete the circle
and come back and hit the ship?" asked
the Brooklyn girl.
"That all depends on the curve cal
culator," said the ensign, proudly.
The Brooklyn girl looked at him as
if she had been profoundly impressed
or tremendously amused, and the en-
sign decided in favor of the former in
depreciation. He escorted the Brooklyn
girl about the deck, and suddenly she
saw commotion on the flagship, which
was anchored about 600 yards away. A
sailor was waving flag back and forth,
and man on the ensign's ship seemed
to be watching it with interest.
"What are these two men doing?" she
asked
''They are wigwagging."
"Dear;me, is that form ofnaval pun
ishment?''
"No, indeed" said the ensign; "that
ship over there is the admirals flagship,
and the man who is waving flag is
sending an important order from the
admiral to this ship"
"Can you read it?" asked the girl.
"It is too late to catch the full order
now," said the ensign, ''but we will hear
the signalman report it to the officer of
the deck. 1t may be an order to prepare
for war at once"
The Brooklyn girl tried hard to look
impressed by this martial suggestion as
she accompanied the ensign to where
the officer Of the deck was standing.
The signalman had completed the mes
sage, and coming to the officer of the
deck, he stopped, saluted, and said:
"An order from the flagship, SIR"
"What is it?" said the officer, ac-
knowledging the salute.
Scrub 1T discretion, sir" said the
signalman, and, saluting, he walked
away.
The ensign's expression was blank,
and the Brooklyn girl laughed.
"Thank you very much for your kind
ness,' she said. know that, after that
order from the admiral, you, as official
curve calculator, will have work to do,
so I will join my friends ashore"
This ensign has been suspicious of in
genuous Brooklyn girls who have since
visited his ship, and he has congrat-
ulated himself that the wardroom mess
knew nothing about the incident.-N.
Y. Sun, liz