Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-01-24
A DANGEROUS DUTY.
INSPECTING DOUBLE BOTTOMS ~
OUR NAVAL VESSELS

Are Necessary ca Prevent Loss OF
Life Durias the Operation.
Theirs is one phase Of the ship fe OF
the American naval officer that 10
fcarcely known to the lsyman and that
can hardly be understood by him a. be
looks upon the modern ship in all her
attractive cleanliness and meets her
neatly uniformed officers upon the spot
less upper deck. Not only are the parts
Of the ship in sight kept clean and free
from rust and decay. but also those far
down, contracted spaces that never seq
the light of day. These include the eel
lular compartments between the inner
and outer skins Of the ship, known tech.
nicaIly az the double bottom, and
other places that separate the magazines
and various built up structures within
the ship from the outer skln.
These narrow compartments are espe.
cially susceptible to dampness and rust,
and in order that those who have the
care Of them may do their duty well
and so prevent the decay Of the ship u
system Of inspection has been devised,
and the inspectors must be, under the
naval regulations, commissioned OIL
GERS. A permanent board Of inspection
is formed npon each ship, which must
consist Of one engineer and two line Of
ficers. The duty OF this board Is period
icslly to make personal inspections OF
oil the parts Of the ship. examine every
thing critically, suggest remedies for
any evils that may be found 10 exist
and 10 report 90 the commanding offi-
Ger, for transmission IN the navy de-
partment, the condition Of the vessel In
detail
Uniforms are discarded while max
ing these inspections. and clad In sea
men ordinary working suits these OFF,
GERS crawl upon all fours throughout the
length Of the bottom Of the ship, wrig-
gle snakelike through narrow openings
aud examine with their own eyes every
inch OF the surface Of the thin steel
plates. The paint of these compart-
ments, softened by dampness IN some
places aud by heat and the steam laden
air Of the boiler rooms in others, rubs
oif upon the working suits, and an
hours crawling transforms the neat
officer into very sorry spectacle. In
some modern navies this duty Is per-
formed hy the enlisted men, the officers
being excused from 1t. but In onr navy
| the feeling exists that an enlisted man
should not be asked To go where an otfi-
Ger II not willing to lead. The result IL
that things always work with the
Americans and the efficiency OF the fleet
IL assured.
Numerous precautions must be taken
10 avoid the risk Of losing life while
performing this duty, for IL is attended
with no little danger The atmosphere
OF confined spaces entirely or partly
closed for considerable length OF time
becomes robbed of its oxygen In the
formation Of rust and is soon made unfit
TO sustain life. II possible, such com
partments are blown out with pure air
led through a hose from blower duct
and all manhole plates removed before
being entered. A lighted candle II al
ways carried by the inspecting onicer
upon his crawling tour IL the candle
burns dimly or seems upon the point OF
being extipguished there Is deficiency
OF oxygen, and he will Immediately
seek the nearest opening leading from
the com partmsnt and leave IL at once.
Men are stationed at places as near ~
possible TO him, 20 that they may hear
his voice and render immediate assist
ance in case Of need. No one II allowed
TO enter any confined space Oh board
ship without an uncovered light al
though in addition q portable electric
light is carried frequently to render the
inspection more thorough.
II not infrequently happens that offi-
GERS and men become so wedged between
bulkheads and beams while performing
this duty as 70 make it extremely diffi-
cult 10 remove them, and more than one
officer Of the navy is upon the retired
list today because Of permanent injury
10 his health contracted while perform
ing this ardnous labor Because OF the
care exercised il is rare that lie Is
lost in this service, but IN one case at
least the rashness Of man proved fatal
20 him. One Of the main boilers OF the
cruiser Newark, while flagship OF the
south Atlantic station, having been
tightly closed for month. while empty
| in order 60 preserve IL from deteriora-
tion, the coppersmith Of that vessel An
energetic, faithful man. thought It's IN
terror should he examined and, al
though warned repeatedly never to en-
ter such boiler without an open light,
removed an upper manhole plate and
crawled in upon the braces with an
electric light He told no one that ne
was going into the boiler, and no one
was stationed to assist him IN case OF
need. His dead body was found half out
and half in the boiler manhole with the
electric light still burning brightly
within the boiler He had evidently
crawled in upon the braces, felt faint
ness creeping over him and hsd en-
deavored to regain the open air. but lost
consciousness just as life lay within
his reach, and so died OF ssphy yxiation.
The air in the boiler had been entire
ly robbed Of its oxygen by the iron OF
! the shell in the formation Of rust, and
the residuum was unfit to breathe. a
lighted candle was snuffed out immedi'
ately upon being thrust into the boiler.
and th;s condition prevailed until Q
/ lower manhole plate was removed, when
the heavy gas ran out a. water might
aud the air within soon came to be
quite pure. No more vivid illustration
Of the dangers to be encountered IN the
care Of ships afoas and the precautions
necessary to be taken in this duty could
: be given than this incident, which
( shows that shot and shell and bursting
steam pipes are not the only dangers
that confront tbs officers and men OF
Uncle Sam q psvy.-New York sun.
Too sugxestIve Of Luxury.
doctor, said the member OF pariis-
ment for rural district, ARE you sure
IT'S gout that has attacked me?'
Positive. But you needn't he alarm
L..