Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1898-06-22
PLEAsANTVILLE, N. j, WEDNESDAY, JUNE % 1898

O'Clock on the flagship Brooklyn
Forward the hammocks were swing
ing, rocked gently by the roll OF til,
ship. In the ward-rOom five or sil
officers sat reading, chatting ant
smoking. On the quarterback Lieut.
Doyle paced to and irO in silence
while In their respective cabins Com
modOre Schley and Capt. Cook ant
executive officer Lieut-C Commando
Mason sat awaiting call that they
alone knew would be made. The ship
sleeping on the bosom of the ocean Ii
in port dress and not stripped fOl
action.
"A steamers smoke on the port
bowl" reports the man at lookout
on the bridge.
"All right. Can you make her out p
answers the officer of the deck
"a man-of-war, SIR" answers the
lookout.
Messenger. tell the captain and Mr..
Mason quietly responds Mr.. Doyle
Mr. Mason comes on deck and, with
Mr.. Doyle, watches the boat through
glasses.
''Call the musicians" says Mr.
Mason, sharply to the messenger, and
the musicians come. Still the big ship
and it's inmates sleep, still the officers
in the ward-rOom chat and smoke,
while Others have already retired.
Still Mr.. Mason and Mr.. Doyle keen
the glasses up.
Sound thecall to general quarters p
says Mr.. Mason, and the drum rolls
q diapasOn to the trumpet's shrill
treble. Then comes transformation
that knows no equal for it's sudden
ness OF action and shifting OF scene.
From the quarters pour forth men
dressing themselves as they come
never waiting for shoes or stockings.
The siren shrieks forth it's weird steam
blast, the big gong clangs, the drum
rolls, and before their clamOr has
ceased its echo every part of the ship,
from the depths of the hold to the top
OF the military mast. is filled with
active, bustling men. From both
forward and aft bridges the bright
search-lights have begun to work,
and the rest of the fleet have, quicker,
almost than thought, been notified
of the approach of the enemy, and
their search-lights are aiding in max
ing brighter than daylight the dark
ness in which torpedo boat might
approach.
But of the transformation! Three
minutes and q half of what appears
to be the direst confusion, but which
is really the acme of of discipline and
order, have elapsed, and the COM
manders of the various divisions re-
port. Mr.. Rush, in command of the
second division, including the after
eight-inch turret and the port eight
inch turret, reports ''All ready, second
division, sir" and following him
comes the report of each division.
The great ironclad is ready to fight
and the bugler blows "Silencep'
while the men, at a fearful tension,
the most difficult, nerve testing period
of the whole situation, await orders
What has occurred during the three
minutes consumed in putting this
big engine of war in shape to hurl
death and destruction is marvellous
in it's immensity and a great tribute
to the ability of Capt. Cook and his
corps of officers. 1t is hardly possible
to recite it's details, but here are some
of it's features as noticed by me as all
eyewitness. At the note of warning
500 men have, in perfect order, taken
their various stations and begun the
work of clearing ship for action
In the 81 minutes consumed they
have closed over 200 water-tight
doors, thus making compartments
that will keep the ship afloat, al
though some compartments may be
injured. They have coupled all the
hose to the fire-plugs. covered the
small boats with wet canvas to keep
them from flying splinters if hit: put
up splinter nets of rope about the
pilot-hOuse, gun-sponsOns and other
exposed places; take down davits,
hand-rails and anchor davits, and
laid them on deck SO as to give the
guns clear sweep; removed every
thing movable or destructible from
deck; covered all matches with steel
covers; lowered all interfering ven
tilating pipes dropped overheard
small boats, gang-ways, paint-tubs
and other deck furniture; filled all
division tubs with fresh water; lashed
the anchors more securely, and fur
nished all the extra mechanical de.
vices necessary for the service of the
guns.
In the heart of the vessel the
engineers have coupled the four big
engines and turned steam on in the
rs auxiliary engines. All of the big
boilers have been fired up and the
stokers are pouring in coal; the
dynamos have been put in service tC
work battle circuits; the turret turn
ing engines tried the ammunition
hoist engines and steering engines
fire pumps and ventilating and force
draught blowers made ready. Two
thirds of the engineer corps stay in
the main engine and fire room and
one-third go to the auxiliary engines
Magazines have been opened and
preparation made for ammunition
shipment to each of the 40 guns by
the hosts and cars prepared for fast
delivery. In the fighting tops of the
military masts the men have hOisted
up ammunition for the One-pounders
and are ready with their guns. Or
the bridges the signal men, range
finders, and search-light men have
made ready and are at work. In the
pilot-house or cOninng-tOwer the men
are at the wheel, and Others at the
speaking-tubes and other devices
controlling the ship by signal.
In the sick bay the surgeons have
gotten out cases of glittering instru-
ments, rolls Of lint, splints, bandages
and other grewsome suggestions O
possible disaster and death to come
In the torpedo-rooms gratings have
been removed, air pressure turned Oh
for the purpose OF charging air-fiasbs
the heavy torpedoes rolled in and
the tubes prepared. And lastly, the
American Flag, Old Glory, that has
f1oated from the flagstaff at tht
stern of the ship, comes down witt
the staff, while two Old GlOries takes
it's place at the truck OF each of tn,
military masts, the breeze whistline
through their folds, defiance to al
enemy.
Three minutes have elapsed. On th'
forward bridge Commodore Schley
and Capt. Cook stand watching th'
enemy's approach.
sSilence!o blows the bugle, an(
there is death-like stiffness.
"Loadr' comes another signal, ant
there is a seconds hustle as tn