Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1898-12-08
TOM BOWLING AT The GUN.
How the Yankee ssssers ffres %
the HstIIsE Vessels II the ss-
stis Fight.

in hand. behind his gun. ais legs vide
apart rs he balances himself on the
unsteady deck. his eyes fixed on the
sights OF his gun and on the enemy.
" HON h- sees through the narrow sper-
ture Of the gun T-Dr:- lie knows that
his gun j. ali night. and the powder
and the she'll and the fuse. and that.
years ago. the necessary steps we're
taken which placed this terrible wcap
on IN his hand to-day so fashioned that
u be fires il right the shot wiil h; the
mark. Iiu, the rolling Of the ship from
side TO side throws the line 81 his gun
sights high mp against the sly, and
thea down info thu SEA. ald. a. 10 .kip
steers exactly straight the line Of sixhs
moves irr~guiariy to the righ; and left.
- iha, bis sights APPEAR TO - 3esrrib
inx Irregular curves. now against Il.
back -rornd of the ky. ard row
against the background Of the sea
an average roll HAY l. aid 10 =. about
seven degrees or zach site. o. "a d.
xrg1r< from one side 80 IN other. The
average tine % making this roll Is
zhouf seven seconds making the time
% rolling ore degree about half sec
Dad
suppose uoW that Tom bowling Is fr-
ing a an average ship. s=y - feet high.
sbort e51n yarsis away. ~ h srs~ at
The rridGIr - sh- target. zS h- should
Do this gives aim a ua1<in CT zach
siie % ten f~-r- Which surs-rd< an an
~. az Tsm Bowling ~ = ahput or~-
t~sifth Of a d~<rs~. so that bowling
unuss appreciate ih- fact that his ssxhts
arr -on-- and do ey-rytAin9 required
70 Sr- the gan IN oze-tw~1-y- sourth %
. s-co-d- o. ~ls~ he sill lliss fh~ target
Now. 10 uian Evirs car - dep~rded on
FOR such rapid thought and serve az
ton. evrn under the h-sf conditions OF
quis, and cAlmu-.s. that - ke eznno;
b. depended 10 do !; every tizz-.
Much can b. loae b. q -coc gua cap
;asz. however. bv watching for a
smooth tirze. sud Sring little before
the sights b~zr. No or- krovS fhf-
better than Tom Bowiizg- - fe
braces his feet 90 the unsteady deck
every nerve s;retch.d TO it, utnaos, ten
sion lie 49, ths, the gun Is painsing
little 10 thu right Of the ~nerly's ship
Left he orders. and the gun trainers
work their training levers. or. ~ in \
,urret. start the turning engine 80 as
20 turn the Eur 20 th- left Meanwhile.
y the line OF sigh, gradually is sp-
preaching the target from the right.
u Is also rising and falling with the
that the n.xt time the sights rise 20
tn. level % the target the trainers viii
have got the gun trained IN the proper
direction He bra-eS himself for a
quick pail of his lock string. AID Their
a wave strikes the ship on the starboard
bow. or the helm i shifted little. and
away goes the line Of sight far OF to the
left. before the sights get up Right
orders Rowling Instantly. and the gun
trainers voTk the gun hack TO the right
quickly. but cautiously. for much de-
psrds upon them now WELT -Rixkt,-
Left etc. come the orders in quick
succession. as Tom Bowling and his
trainers work the gun Suddenly the
line Of sigh: strikes the target. there il
a CLEAN IL Eowiing's eye. quick pull
Of his arm. Il tremendous noise. 4
sitting cloud Of smoke. and in comes
the gun rs II i were a projeetile itself.
and were going clear across the ship
and out the other side: but il quickly.
vet gently. slows. then stops. controlled
perfectly by the hydrzulie elinder; and
Immediately il runs out again. and IS
ready 10 be loaded and fired once more
In an instant the second captain has
unlocked and thrown open the breech:
quick hands wash OH the powder resi-
due from breechloek and bore. ard then
shove in the shell and powder. The
second captain closes a2d locks the
brsech With heavy ela1g. puts in a
new primer. and reports the gun ready.
Left cries Tom Bowling: and the
same succession of actions is roper
formed
II anybody could have gone from
ship TO ship OF the Unitei States feet
during the even;ful hours between five
and hal:-past seven on that beautiful
Sunday morning. he would have seen
about 30 Tom bowling all doing the
same things and in the same way. He
would have seen 50 guns crews all
eagerly. Yet eOoliy. working their
guns. and he would have seen zach di-
vision Of guns. aEi zach ,urret. under
the charge of an officer responsible for
if--Iieut. Bradley A. FiSke. IN Cen
tury.