Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-21
CLEAR SHIP FOR ACTION!
wa, Happcns on a Big Battleship When
About to Fight.

hoats down from Il shy .iat Stc''i'9
W., furnished steel. Net cloud
aes the blue cXpansc of heaven.
1,,ipc leisurcly along through the
,,or green water the huge battleship
ICON swashes her way over the tum-
''.n9 seas. Her broad bow cuts the
D ",,es that curl sometimes almost up
nor low-lying deck, and two gradu-
NJ, senarating lines of foam mark the
a a. of her wake. The thin,
49, columns of smoke that rise from
i@l" fnnnels curl slightly toward the
4ast borne by the winds that is NOV
w. little faster than the ship. She
~. - come from the far Pacific station
~ ioin the powerful squadron in the
mantle and now her voyage IS almost
I'D In a LITTLE while she will be
'., har sister ships But she is not in
hurry for she IS net afraid. No foe
ms the wide seas whom she would
.sitate 10 meet "he war has but
~. haoun. and not yet has the peer
49,, gladiator Of the seas had oppor-
'ani+y 10 test her giant strength against
f,a officers and men are eager for
.,;s chance. and if fortune but sends a
sbin of the enemy across her pain TINS
Militant afternoon in the early sum-
NOR a royalty warm welcome she VIII
get.
,Ionc the forecastles the Jackies 81,
=. strand in eager. eXpectant groups,
watching the horizon in all directions
With keen eyes, hopeful of outrivallinS
tho inpatient lookout at the masthead
and catching sight of the wished
car enemy. On the quarter
dsck some of the officers keep similar
r.oteh The officers of the watch PAGES
the narrow semicircular bridge with
c,,ick. nervous strides. and occasionally
sweeps the whole range of the horizon
with his glass. But up in the top the
lookout. steady and cool, wins the re-
ward of his patience. Just over the
s,arhoard bow, far down in the hori-
7on he sees a small black pencil stand
ing out against the cleaning blue of
the sky. He brings his glass TO bear
on il again and looks at it long and
WE'LL Then he leans over the edge of
the top and waits until the officer of
the watch comes into view on the
bridge.
Sail no. he SHOUTS.
The blood mounts up in the heart Of
the Young officer as the thought flash
IS through his brain that this perhaps
is the prey and the prize they seek
But the years of his training stand
him in good stead. and there is neither
anxiety nor excitement in his voice as
he answers the lookout's eager hail.
where away
Three points north starbcard bow,
SIR" shouts back tho lookout.
Can you make her OUT" asks the
officer as calmly as il he expected 10
meet the flagship Of his own squadron.
Yes, sir" answers the lookout. It's
the smoke Of large steamer"
orderly" sings ont the young Off
Ger. with perhaps just a shade of eager
ness in his voice, tell the Captain that
the lookout has sighted the smoke ii
some steamer bearing three points on
the starboard bow
The orderly saIutes and dashing
down the ladder hurries aft with his
message. The men on the forWarl
deck have heard the colloquy between
the officer of the watch and tho look
the starboard rail in sharp desire 20
make out the approaching ship. Tho
lookout and the officer bring their
glasses into play again and both are
eagerly scanning the faint column Of
smoke. 1t grows in size and increases
IN density, and just as they begin to
make out the outlines of the top rig
ginS Of the ship beneath the smoke the
Captain runs up on the bridge in re-
Spouse to the notification of the order
" Quickly he focuses his glass on
the distant ship. \ long time he looks
IN silence and then officers and men
hear the command that most of all in
the Captains power to give they are
glad to get:
Clear the ship for action!"
It is only chance that the stranger
is an enemy, but prudence demands
that that chance be not passed without
If'paration- If the captain is right in
ms guess as to the character of the
strange ship war has begun for the
Oregon
clear the Ship The order runs
rom stem to stern like lightning
laSh The messengers hurry about no
l1Eihs every officer of the command
"'iiie are asleep in their rooms Some
az al WORK over their pet problems
ana theories of war making. Some are
5'sSlllng in the ward room or visiting
IA t"t room Of brother officer All
jump 10 lhelr work at the order and
cd'h man eagerly alive To tha
PoSsIoilItles of the next hour
W. So hurries to his station.
me 30 IS whistle, shrilling along the
passages and through the omen spaces
on the berth deck and sounding it's
',Sn warning treble Wherever the men
''!e crew are gathered. rouses the
sie'pihS ana the waiting to action and
tney tumble up to their stations with
T,"' vaccinations and swift alacrity.
"e executive officer joins the captain
y" the bridge and the va1!na officer Of
ti'e watch. whom he relieves. packs up
a'S SASS and hustes down 10 take his
"'''loH and direct the men of his diyi-
sun III clearing the Ship.
Heh swarm over the deck in what
See"'S the widest confusion. but is in
'S perfect order Every man has
'V''aih exact duties to ncrform. and
"l''h drilling has taught him lust how
g. 'pouf 1t to perform them in the
m, 'PieSl' feadlest and easiest manner.