The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-10-31
PROMOTED
fOriginal.1


rank In the naval service? Well,
there's q story about that, but IL 1t
got out It would ruin ME. They say
some are great, some achieve great
ness and some have greatness thrust
upon them. had 1t thrust upon me.
and 1 don't mind telling you In con-
fidence that came within half a min
ute Of being disgraced instead Of get
ting my principal promotion. On your
promise to keep the matter a secret
I'll tell you all about It.
II was In the summer Of 1898 on
Havana. Hot? Well. It couldn't be
hotter except under a volcano, just
the kind Of weather for-one to lie in a
hammock and smoke cigarettes But
we had regular duties all day. and
both day and night we didn't know but
that q Spanish torpedo boat would
blow US skyward. We never felt easy.
Every time any Of us saw a launch or
a yawl In the distance we'd make as
much fuss as II a torpedo were under
our bows. Ever see one Of 'em?
They're the ugliest things afoat. Once
In an aquarium ! saw the worst look
ing fish that swims. a hellbender. and
q torpedo boat always reminds me Of
that fish-compact, low. black, all iron,
the torpedo sticking out at the bow,
the whole venting smoke like q drag
on And 1t goes right through the wa
ter without the slightest reference to
wave crests. ninging spray about dia-
bolically.
That's what a torpedo boat is
One night I was in charge Of the
searchlight shouldn't have been put
In charge, for l had been doing duty
in the captains launch all day. 60
ing between the ships Of the feet, and
was tired out However. was on
watch and kept the light moving. One
Of the men with me was taken sick,
and I sent him below. The other
sent to the galley to get me a cup Of
coffee. He stayed away long enough
to bail the ocean, while I was left
alone with the light
When a man has been keeping one
Of those things moving till 2 O'Clock in
the morning. he is apt to get tired. and
when he's tired he's apt to get sleepy.
and when he's sleepy he's apt to go to
sleep. Even tine great Farragut when
q little MILDLY Of ten years went to
sleep ON watch, but he didn't suffer for
doing 30 a. q man would have to. The
officer who caught him took on his
pea Jacket and put It over him. l did
all ] could to keep my mind fixed on
the punishments prescribed for sleep
ing on watch In time Of war, from
dismissal to hanging at the yardarm,
but It didn't do any good. The nrst
thing knew-or, rather. didn't know
I was sound asleep. 1t makes my hair
curl today to think Of it-in the United
States navy. looking out for the most
dreaded cause for destruction known,
the ship. perhaps the whole feet. de-
pendent upon my watchfulness, and
asleep at the searchlightl
Suddenly I awoke. I gave q yell
and touched an electric connection. In
q few seconds more the whole ships
company came tumbling up the com
panion ways, from the meanest jackie
to the captain
II
cause Of my alarm? Right out in the
track Of the searchlight. coming for us
like q shot, was something black. II
was moving SO straight that I only
saw its bow. giving 1t the appearance
Of a round spot on the water. There
was no smoke. and It must have beer
literally riding the waves, for l could
not see that 1t kicked up q particle OF
spray.
You can imagine my sensations, but
not very perfectly. A moment before
had been asleep. What guardian ange
had awakened me? Suppose I had
slept a few minutes longer! Though
all this flashed on me as I saw an in
strument of annihilation approaching
my mind made another picture which
I couldn't drive away-myself hanging
by the neck at the yardarm.
Suddenly the advancing torpedo boa
seemed to leave the water and star
for the sky. It took me just two sec
onds to face the glass. and there
crawling upward on its outer surface
was a gnati l had mistaken the shad
ow cast by the little beast for a tor
pedo boat Here I was out Of on
scrape and into another. l had arouse'
the ship for nothing. Before l coul'
get back to my position in rear Of tn
searcher the captain himself hat
about rapidly.
What is it7 Where is itT' he crie'
excitedly.
'T-the fact Is, captain-you see
Before / could tell him that l ha'
mistaken a gnat's shadow for a torpe
do boat the real thing stood out plain
ly under the searcher. There she was
the ugly black looking craft l hav
described to you. coming for us. plow
ing the water into two fans. dens
cloud of smoke pouring from the stack
tell you. the captain didn't wait 70
, anybody to repeat his orders. and Il
less time than II takes to tell 1t sho
had gone for that torpedo boat Blu
It wasn't needed. The Spaniards. see
ing they were discovered. turned a
quickly as possible and showed U
!, their boats stern.
: Just as soon as the affair had quiete
, down the captain stepped up to me an
{ said:
"Mr. B., you have done only you
duty. but there are times when simpi
q doing ones duty counts for a grea
a deal By your vigilance you have save
this ship. worth three to four million
. to the government. and. what is mor'
the lives Of 450 men. I shall report th
: matter to Washington. with the recon
= mendation that you be advanced te
r numbers"
L vn,, oo,tl haya I,nol-aA mo dau-