Evening journal., 1898-12-23
TOM BOWLING AT THE GUN.
How the Yankee Gunacrn Fired on
the Rolling Vessels In the Ma
nIla Fight.

Look ut him as he stands. lock string |
In hand, behind his gun. his legs wide |
apart as he balances himself on the |
unsteady deck, his eyes fixed on the
sights of his gun and on the enemy
whom he sees through the narrow aper-
ture Of the gun port. He knows that
his gun is all right, and the powder
and the shell and the fuse, and that,
years ago, the necessary steps were
taken which placed this terrible weap-
on in his hand to-day, so fashioned that
if he fires it right the shot viii hit the
mark. But the rolling of the ship from
side to side throws the line of his gun
sights high up against the sky, and
then down into the sea; and, as no ship
steers exactly straight, the line of sight
moves irregularly to the right and left:
so that his sights appear to be descrb-
ing irregular curves, now against the
background of the sky, and now
against the background of the sea.
An average roll may be said to be about
seven degrees on each side, or IA de-
grees from one side to the other. The
average time of making this roll is
about seven seconds, making the time
Of rolling one degree about half a Sec
ond.
Suppose now that Tom Bowling is fir
ing at an average ship, say 20 feet high,
about 2 800 yards away. If he fires at
the middle of the target, as he should
do, this gives him a margin on each
side of ten feet, which subtends an am
gle at Tom Bowling's eye of about one
twelfth Of a degree; so that Bowling
must appreciate the fact that his sights
are "on," and do everything required
to fire the gun in one-twenty-fourth of
a second, or else he will miss the target.
Now, no man living can be depended on
for such rapid thought and nerve ac-
ton, even under the best conditions Of
quiet and calmness; that is, he cannot
be depended to do il every time.
Much can be done by good gun cap
tain, however, by watching for a
smooth time, and firing a little before
the sights bear. No one knows this
better than Tom Bowling. So he
braces his feet on the unsteady deck,
every nerve stretched to its utmost ten
sion. He sees that the gun is pointing
little 10 the right Of the enemy's ship
Left" he orders; and the gun trainers
! work their training levers, or, If in a
e turret, start the turning engine so as
to turn the gun to the left. Meanwhile
e as the line of sight gradually is ap
preaching the target from the right
It is also rising and falling with tn,
! rolling of the ship. Tom Bowling see
that the next time the sights rise {,
the level OF the target the trainers viii
= have got the gun trained in the proper
direction He braces himself for
e quick pull of his lock string; and the
r a wave strikes the ship on the stlrboar'
: bow, or the helm is shifted little, nn'
z away goes the line OF sight far OF TO tn
2 left, before tho sights get up. "Right!
I orders Bowling instantly; and the gui
y trainers work the gun back 10 the righ
\, quickly, but cautiously, for much dc
n pendsupon them now. "Well." "Rightl
Il Left" etc. come tire orders in quic
ifl succession, as Tom Bowling and hi
pl trainers work tho gus. Suddenly u
C. line of sight strikes the target; there
r CLEAN in Bowlings eye, a quick pu
g. of his arm, a tremendous noise,
sitting cloud ot smoke, and in come
The gun as il II were a projectile itsel
= and were going clear across the shi
- and out the other side; but it quickly
fs yet gently, slows, then stops, controlle
y perfectly by the hydraulic clinder; an
k Immediately IL runs out again, and
ready to be loaded and fired once mor'
In an instant the second captain ha
rs unlocked and thrown open the breech
s, quick hands wash off the powder res
N due from breechlock and bore, and the
shove in the shell and powder. tn
second captain closes and locks III
broech with a heavy clang, puts In
n new primer, and reports the gun read.
I'd "Leftl" cries Tom Bowling; and th
same succession of actions is repe
er formed.
52 If anybody could have gone fro
ship to ship of the United States fie'
n during the eventful hours between fi'
tie and half-past seven on that beautifl
Sunday morning, he would have see
TO about 80 Tom Bowlings all doing Il
ee same things and in the same way.
y. would have seen so guns crews Il
Siy eagerly, yet coolly, working the
~ N guns. and ne would have seen each 4
- vision of guns, and each turret. und
the charge of an officer responsible fl
it.-Lieut. Bradley A. Fiske, in Ce
tury.
]