Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-08-18

are within complete view, so that one
glance enables you to comprehend
the ships full power. To anyone &C
customed TO the engines OF big
steamers these destroyer engines look
absurdly small; but although they oc
cupy less than half the space which Is
taken up by the machinery of many q
fine steamer Of great tonnage but slow
speed, still they will develop twice the
amount of her horsepower.
Leave the whirring mao linery and
the necessarily vigilant engineers ano
/ climb through the circular hole bach
to the deck. Clutch your head-dress
unless it is lashed on, for the roaring
wind will whisk it from you. The
wind embraces you and balloons you
out absurdly, but it helps you up, ano
you crawl or drag yourself to another
manhole, and descend to the stoke
! hold--this time down TWO little lad
ders instead Of one.
In the stokehold an astonishing
revelation awaits you, especially il
you have had experience OF other
similar dens. l have been in the
stokeholds of a good many steamers,
! from Cunarder-in when gasped
and shovelled for nearly two hours
before resigning my posC--to North
sea trawler, and have marvelled that
men could endure it and live. [ ea.
pected the Kennels stokehold to be a
perfect oven; and. lo it was quite
cool and comfortable, and marvellous
in les devices for saving labor and
safeguarding life and limb.
Even at top speed, the place is per-
fectly tolerable, owing to the ex-
traordinary advances which have peen
made in marine engineering and to
the perfection which has been at
tanned in the boilers. You are, indeed,
almost bewildered by the devices for
getting the best work out of coal anu
steam with a minimum OF danger and
discomfort.
Come right aft, behind the armored
shield which protects the hand-steer-
fng gear, for use when the steam-gear
is disabled. The little steam steering
wheel is in motion corresponding 10
the turns of the wheel in the coming
tower; but for the present the hand.
wheel, which is larger, Is disconnected
and is securely dashed. You NAV
safely grip the spokes of the hand.
wheel-you have to grip something
II you wish to save your limbs and
perhaps life-and watch and feel
your destroyer's performance at her
best.
She is doing her top speed, and you
may know 1t by the mao rush OF the
water past you, the metallic rattle
which almost deafens you, the crazy
trembling of the deck beneath you
and the furious belching of the smoke
from the tunnels, to say nothing OF
the showers of fine cinders which are
shot out of the stacks and are carried
overheard or fall in myriads on the
deck.
Just under your feet the two pro.
pellors are whirling at the ends or
their shafts; Immediately below you
the torn water is seething in a cloud
OF spray which never settles. and
hanging to the stern as If part and
parcel of the craft is a long white
wake and roaring low hill of water.
like a cataract-for it is a peculiarly
OF destroyers' sterns that they so lie
on the sea as 20 draw 1t up when the
engines are working.
We have seen what sort of ship It is
that Is put at the disposal of the
lieutenant commander. Let us get her
cleared for action--not a long process.
because she is at all times little more
than stripped hull The razing of a
few Sanctions which are in the line
of fire of the torpedo-tubes Is one of
the chief things to be done, and that
is speedily accomplished. The TOR
pedoes, fitted with their war.heads.
are In their tubes, ready for firing:
the seamen gunners are standing by
their quick-firers; the engineers are
below. and every other officer and
man Is at his appointed post.
In the brain of the ship-ap-
proprlately situated in her head-is
the commander. This brain Is the
conning-tower-that circular structure
under the forward gun-platform, lust
ahead of the bridge, which is more
than likely to escape the attention OF
the ordinary visitor to destroyer.
1t is made of armored plate thick
enough TO resist rife bullets and small
missiles, and just large enough to
hold two men and the necessary ma,
chinery for guiding the ship. From
this coming or steering tower the de,
stroyer is controlled when in action.
There is small steam steering-wheel.
"a compass, engine-room telegraphs.
and tubes and electric signals com,
municsting with every part of he
vessel II is quite round, and is
fitted with a number OF small port
holes, from which the commander can
get view all round his ship except
right astern, in which direction his
vision is interfered with by the chart,
house and the tunnels.
But a destroyer is a wonderful,
handy steerer, and If the commander
wants TO look directly astern 81 HttIe