The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-08-26
CLEAR ship for Action.

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has been ito sea- on Long Island Sound
in jib and mainsail boat, writes ii sea
story, or, still more frequently, a sea
play 1t is easy enough to fool people
about it all because nine-tenths of the
world has never been at sea EXCEPT on q
passenger steamer, where one never
enough, they all think it must be very
different on other kinds of ships, espe.
.cially men-of-war Naval routine and
methods are of course unknown to the
great body of inhabitants Of any country,
because when Jack and his officers are
most busily engaged in drills they dc
not welcome visitors aboard. So the
n: story-writer does not hesitate to
5caH AL hands and the cook" to imam
been known to send crew to s'auarters''
to tack ship aboard an armored steam
cruiser As for: battles, they are fought
on the stage without any preparation
whatever beyond loading the guns, which
is sometimes represented as being done
aboard one of our new ships very much
ias It was do9e in the time Of Decatur.
every was vessels crew hears the shrill
piping OF the whistles of all her boat.
sWain's mates and the order, "Clear shin
for action. In the old-fashioned wooden
ships this, was a very big task. Ton
galiantnasts and light yards had to be
sent down, extra sings and preventer
stays rugged, and every precaution taken
to reduce the amount Of hamper aloft
that might be shot away and fall on the
heads of the men on deck. There is less
or that sort OF work now because our
new ships DO not carry sail, but there is
plenty to be done about the decks and
inside the ship at the preliminary order
before the loading of guns is begun.
Inc fundamental principles of clearing
ship are first to get everything out of the
way that can interfere with the free
everything not essential to her handling
which can be shot away by the enemy.
The bow staff, with all its rigging: the
anchor davit. and all the other gear thai
is not necessary have been taken away
and slowed below The nchors, of course
have to remain. as it might be necessary
to let one go. and they are not bad de-
hectors OF shot, either. The turrct has
been turned to test the machinery, the
cover has been taken off the searchiight
and the flag has been removed from the
tatfrall staff and run to the military mast
head.
The crew is pretty nearly all out of
sight. The two men in the fighting ton
are there to handle the rapid-fire gun
which Is to pour down a hail of shot upon
the enemy's deck. The column of black
smoke swirling out of the smoke-stacL
shows that the engineer force is firing I'D.
If the interior of the vessel could he
shown it would be seen that great
amount of work has been done. For in
stance, all the motive power has been
tested, and the pressure has been turned
on for, the Understanding machinery,
/ ammunition AZ \ lifts, hydraulic hammers, Gle.
waiting gear, smoke fans, and a dozen 9th
er things. The magazines have been
opened and the power division is ready To
supply the guns with charges. The gun
= crews are at their stations and ready to
put the great shells into the heavy ten
inch guns. The navigator and all his d.
vision are ready to Vancouver the vessel
ing tables and implements for taking care
of the wounded. In short. the ship is
ready to fight.-New York Times.