The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1898-09-17
EXPLOSIVES ON SHIPBoARD
Methods Adopted for Storing Them in
the British Navy.

Nho pH'lsh Navy
The British navy has not been with
out its Maine disaster, though, for
tunately, these have been unattended
by any question of foul play-and
they have taught us lesson, The last
such catastrophe was in 1882, when
the gunboat Dottcrcl was sunk and
145 lives lost through an explosion in
one of her magazines.
Since that time great attention has
been paid to the storing of high cx-
ploSiyes on board all the ships Of our
navy. The magazines are now huge
iron tanks built separately into the
ship. The sides, bottom and crown
of these are made of thick steel plates
weighing ten pounds to the square
foot These plates are lap-jointed
and strongly riyeted.
Should any side or the back of a
coal bunker be exposed, taat side is
built of plates that weigh 129 pounds
to the square foot. This additional
strength is in order 10 proyent omy
explosion of coal oas that NAV ocorr
in the bunker from tearing open the
magazine. Further, the plating is
stiffencd with beayy iron bars ibat
make all parts of the surface Of equal
strength. Should the magazine be
placed near the engines, or in any
other place where there is a HIGH tom-
perature, it is coated with asbestos
All the lights are in what are called
'lightboxes," placed outside. the ligbr
penetrating into the magazine itself
through thick glass illuminators
which are protected by gratipcs Of
brass wire. The KEYS of these boyns
are kept by the gunner of the shin
Near them is stock of candles ready
for use in case the electric current
should fail. Entrance TO the maoa-
zine is from the top, but out of what
is termed the handling-room. The
hatch of this is in line with the crown
Of the magazine, and the floor of the
room is lead covered.
For ventilatiEg purposes air il
pumped in at the bottom, and passes
out through specially constructed
up-take, but on very dry days air !,
let into the magazine naturally in
order to prevent too much moisture
accumulating on the cases and thus
causing the powder to doteriorate In
an engagement the magazines would
be kent closed down, SO as TO prevent
the enemy's shot from entering them,
and air would be pumped in, or the
men working inside could live but
very few minutes. Before entering
the magazine the men have 10 leave
behind them their knives, pipes and
matches, and to put on special boots
that are studded with brass nails.
With the old-fashioncd nowdpr
spark caused by the friction of a nail
in ones boot with the floor was sniff
cient to cause an explosion Nova
davs there is far less danger of acci-
dent MANY Of ihe explosives now
used will only IGNITE bJ dctonation
Prismatic and pebble powders if set
on fire win frizzle away like a fuse,
whilacordite ifhondIed with ordinary
care is quite harmless.
All the bays Il e. recessesl are
marked With fhe number Of cases that
are 10 be slowed in them and they
ore nroyidcd With strono wooden M
rigbts TO preyent the cases from be-
;n9 thrown ont Of nIace bvtbe motion
Of tbo shin The doors of all the
maoazinps omen outward, 50 that if in
Violent storm tbe cases broke loose
1bay would nat block the entrance.
n fuses. tubes or other articles that
oonto;n }bc;r avn means of IGNITION
ava arer slowed in maoazinos All
sucb articles are placed in special
storerooms far away from the powder.
GUick.frinq ammunition cartridges
for machine guns and rifles and dry
ann-notton l afso have their sonarate
Commandments. All magazines are
fitted with a flooding arrangement, SO
that should the shin catch fire, they
can he at once filed with water
Thoro ;s ouarterlv examination
g tho drr an1.cotton 70 ascertain
Ubothor VI ccid Is oecnmuIatinr If it
!; v IL tLn arniosiyo i NJ once Saturated
-; ; tiiT rotar Wa gIn-cofton being
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