The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-04


be more ticklish for the men assigned
to them than others. For example,
there is probably not sea soldier in
the United States marine corps to-day
who is not figuring on the insignih-
cant show he will probably have for
his life if, in the event Of his ship
getting into action, he is detailed with
a picked few of his mates to man the
rapid-fring guns in the fighting tops.
At first glance the fighting top Of a
modern ship Of war appears to be
quite the post dangerous spot on the
ship, fore or aft, in case of action.
Yhere has never been any good oppor-
tunity to test this, for fighting tops,
rightly called military masts) are of
comparatively recent development,
and during the Chino-Japanese naval
engagements no systematic attempt
seems to have been made on either
side to raze the fighting tops to the
docks or into the sea. The proper
tion of killed and wounded in the
fighting tops during those engage
ments was considerably less than on
the deck. In sea fight between ex-
pert manipulators of ships, however,
there can be no doubt that the vessels
will 60 each at the others military
masts with enthusiasm at the very
outset, for the purpose of silenciDg
the deadly play of the rapid firing
guns, which are capable of making
terrific havoc on an enemy's decks.
The rapid-fring guns only would be
used for the purpose Of chopping off
or knocking over the enemy's fighting
tops, for fighting top is small mark
in long range shooting, and no gunner
would be so foolish as to waste big
gun projectiles in an attempt to shave
a mark the chances of striking which
are about as thousand to one against
him. But rapid-iring guns are accu-
rate, and their projectiles are power.
full enough to do for the strongest
fighting top that ever reared its ugly,
circular head from the deck of a ship
Of war. The sides of the fighting tops
are armored, but they are not armored
sufficiently as to render them impene-
trable to the projectiles Of ordinary
rapid-6ring guns. The sea soldiers
man the fighting top guns, and it may
be set down as something mighty GER
tain that in the event Of war the duels
between the marines in the fighting
tops will be sanguinary features Of the
sea fights.
The bluejackets who are stationed
in the magazine during sea fight are
certainly no better of than their
mates, either above or below deck.
Each commander in a naval battle
knows precisely where his foes mag
azines are located, and there is likely
to be some tall aiming for magazines
in the next naval war. To those who
are unfamiliar with the general ex-
pertness of modern great gun marks
manship and the extraordinary accu-
racy Of some of it, it might seem pure
foolishpess for a gunner to make an
attempt to hit any especial part Of an
enemy's ship at range OF several
miles. Those who think in this way,
however, have only to be referred to
the bit of craftsmanship performed
by one of the 13-inch gun crews OF
the battle ship Indiana the other day.
This crew, using service projectiles
and charges in practice, put two H.
inch shots right through the same
hole. This sort of craftsmanship is
by no means uncommon in the United
States navy, the standard Of which
for great gun expertness is as high as
that of any navy in the world. 1t is
no unusual thing for the gunners OF
American men-of-war engaged in big
gun. practice to tear the canvas targets
to ribbons, at the very longest effec-
tive ranges, before the practice is
we'll begun. This being the state OF
the great gun craftsmanship at the
present time, it is reasonable to sup
pose that the men in the magazines in
sea fight should have no especial
cause for being happy over their fel-
lows above their stations. One great
gun shell pumped we'll over a maga-
zine, even though the magazine be all
far below the water line, is likely to
cause enough trouble to induce the
magazine men to wish they were on
deck, if they have chance to think
at all. Moreover, there is such a
thing as heavy projectilc penetrat-
ing an armored ship below the water
line, as was proved on the Yalu, and