The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-25
CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION.
oAaAT HAPPENS ON 4 BATTLEsHfP
ABBOTT To bIssMT.
Bassfe and Work. ana Excite
nAcnt, Too, Perhaps, bat =" 0"s-
asstaa-Tkr Three fstefai Orders-

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Aesintes the Southern sea and occasionally
afrests the l9Eg backed rollers villa s-issr
20ars. TIE early afternoon s4R tests
Fdoxna from a sky THAI grams ike burntsss-
ed steel. Net 3 eEOsa6 1sssss the blue tx
panse OF heaven. fsoliins seisureiy asong
through tsle clear gFeSp wstsr the haxs
batfieship Oregon s~aslses her way over
zsha tunbfsng seas. He.- broad bow cuts
sAise waves That eBFi sometimes almost up
40 her sss-iy.ng deck. and two gradually
Separating lines Of foam marx inv boa1d-
srriss of ner wake. The thin. faint col
Assuss@ ~ smoke that r-ss from her Tunnels
Agff slightly toward the east. borne Dy
ahe wind tnat Il moving a Estie faster
sfnaa tie stssp. She has come from the FAR
YTaesfic station 20 joia the powerful squad
lan in the Atlantic. and nos her voyage -
<&isuss~s ensied- Ia little while she viii
sD@ with her sister slips. Ba; she Is not
A. hurry. feT she as not afraid. No foe
Nsi.S the sid. ss4S whom she ~asid hes
Atate TO meet. The Har has ttist begun.
~ nd not gel baa the peerless gladiator of
Ahs seas had opportunity 10 test her giant
TesreaSih asasssxt "a foe. OFFERS and usen
sere cage! fof this chance. and IL fortune
fHf .rs4ds snip Of sae enemy across Ter
hath gF1sS brilliant afternoon III the early
ssssmrneg Il royal warm welcome she VIII
get.
Aioug the forecaztis> the Jsek.es sis or
stsnss in eager. expeetaH groups, watch
eyes hopeful Of optrlsalllng the impatient
lookout at the ma zt1tead and catching first
Eight OF the r4sssesi-for enemy. On the
quarterback some OF the officers Keep SIM
Ear watch The officer Of The watch PAGES
the narrow sefnseireusar bridge with quick,
snervcas strides. and occasionally sweeps
xthe whole range ot the horizon with his
glass. I;ut Hp in the top the lookout.
steady and cool, wins the reward Of his
paticnce. Just over the starboard bow.
star d0wn 10 the horizon. he sees a small
Abiack pencil Standing oslt against the
sEisaspane blue Of the sky. He brings his
xg.ass 10 bear on n again and locks "a: II
long and geii. Then he leans over the
edge ~ the top and waits until the offer
OF the watch comes lnto view on the
bridge.
Sail he.'' ne shouts
: The blood mounts up IN the heart OF the
Ayoung officer as the thought flashes
@thfough his brain that this perhaps is the
trfsyr and the prize they seek. Eut tile
q eats Of his training stand him In good
ssfead. aud there Is neither anxiety ner
sexcgtenlent IN hls voice rs he answers the
S1oakent's eager haii-
Where awar7"
Three points north starboard bow. SIR
sxheuts back the lookout.
: ecan yoi mako hsr ont % asks the off,
seer. as caiHly as If he expected 10 meet
sthe flagship Of his own squadron.
sssYss. sir" answers the lookout. IT'S
-the snake Of a large steamer
Orderly, sings OUT the young officer.
WITH rerhsns s,tst a shade Of eagerness in
sh.k vosce. ''teli the captain that the look
soJs has sighted the smoke OF some steamer
hearing three points on the ssarhoard
sbow.'
= The orderly ssiutes ard dashing down
sthe ladder hurrieS aft with his message.
The men on the forward deck have heard
the enlloauy between the officer Of the
SCANNING over the sfarboarsi rail tn sharp
,A1Q3Fs to- make out the approaching ship.
me lockout and the Officer bring their
glasses isto phy again, and both are
Hgerly scanning the faint column OF
4A5oke. II grows In sire and increases in
Hsnsity. and Just they begin 30 make
ed, the lines ri the top rigging OF the
Lar beneath the smoke the captain runs
Miio on the bridge In response To the not-
aeafIon OF ths orderly. Quickly he To-
cBsss~ his glass on the distant ship. \
long time he looks In silence and then
officers and men hear the command that
mnss OF all IN tho captains power 10 give
They are glad 10 get:
y s1Tear the ship for actionl'
Ii il only a chance that the stranger is
nm enemy. hut prudence desnapds that
That chance he not passed without prena-
ration. II the captaia Is right In his guess
as Ia the character ~ the strange ship
war has begun for the Oregon
Clear the ship" The order runs from
stem 10 stern like a lightning fash. The
messengers hurry sbou; notifying every
sosie~r % the command Some arc asleep
IA gheir rooms. Seine are at work over
ihesr pet prohlssns and theories OF war
Snsaklng. Some are go~siping in the ward
rpsm or visiting In the Room OF a brother
rAieer. All juno IA their work az the
ser4.es and each man. eagerly alive To thu
spr&xabliilie- % the next hour or so hur-
VII. to, - ff..- - - - fafi
ssslssiling along the passage and through
4fss open space thu berth deck and
sAndins it, high warming treble wherever
kse men Of tsIe Grey are gathered. rouses
sttF sleeping and the waitiug 80 action
Xf they tumble up - their stations WITH
asal EXPLANATIONS and swSft atacTity The
executive officer tons he captain on the
trtdse afd the y'eung offsrer 81 she watch.
weun he relieves, packs az his glass and
huesles down ia AXE his station and direct
the men - hs division in clearing the
shin
N.n swarm over G}e eeca in What seems
The widest ceafassca. hut in reality per-
fest order Every man has certain exact
dates ~ pesfosTtt. and much drilling has
laugh him inst bow 20 SO about Il Ia
perform them sn the simplest; reaslieS; and
Easiest manner. Tsie Whole deck crew Is
oreansxed tata divisions and esrh division
Mas iss separate aY}f particular work ore
division Rshes fsst tho hig anchors and
makes them rs secure s@ possible. Annth-
-ser takes care - th@ haata Tho snare
sfssfs rct cat ara dashed together
Tss boats ase lsshea into most. plugs
pulled car 50 that they sill ~ with water
ana ffoat wteh EUawa'es 8wash TIE nest
* flashed 81 the sp3FS that wt,i servo "a
arsg and hssoy - make thetr location
e thG ship lives tn tAsNe hack for s4,prr
aT4 sFaTs ana boats are pat oyer the side
end lcft ~ aTift as thev wt.
Whlie this il gotng 90 divisions are =,
work WITH the rail- a,ns' s~ngax stsas-h..,r,S
Essf:HshinE comes dow TIE pces are
kascked cuf 90 the Savtt hinges ard ~
hsx tr>sn bars are folded over &, the 5.4.k
Everything nNsvabie that g,an he r.sls ot,
~ 1he way - slowed In fts proper place
swiftly and silently. TsfFrsrs }rs ara a'rn.
hc, GaSss that migat hs exris1ihx sg.r,ssa
nsws aod disaster oveg tSa ship ara
Brought Np and Assvesi overheard 70 drift
vfth Ehe abandoned ha2ss TIE battle
rfstirsS ave brought cut ana fitted over
Inc matches Anything tAat might "a
sssssss ~ Ea tsSsscss BY SAsti ssr HsAf 10
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