Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
LIFE ON A TORPEDO BOAT.
Men Have a Hard Time in Heat and
Small Quarters

From the Norfolk (va-) Landmark
Each OF the torpedo craft carries a crew
of from sixty to seventy men, ard when
one considers the size OF the space in which
1t Is necessary for these men to move about
in operating the powerful yet intricate ma
chinery and find sleeping space also, one
must marvel at the life aboard vessel OF
this class. To live in quarters the size Of
an ordinary dry goods box is not the life
that the everyday American cares to essay.
To endure such life for hours at a stretch
without sleep or food. and to stand exposed
in all climates-such is life aboard a tor
pedo boat for officers and men alike There
is no discrimination; that Is why one sees
beard1ess faces and slender figures behind
the coming towers when these long. three
and four-stacked flyers run into port for
coal and water at frequent Intervals which
is necessary account of their limited
space for carrying these necessities. In the
comparatively smooth waters of this har-
Dor the torpedo boats look very much like
the motor racers in disguise. but they are
far from being the pleasure craft that the
autoboats. are and they go where tfl8
helmsman of a motor boat would not dare,
to venture. .-.- 80. .-H4s 1853 t.-s15.
The ocean is the place to see the torpedo.
boat under way. and then life on board thu
craft can be seen In its true light. -Stick,s
ing their bows into the long,. green sweils.G
the spray flying above the signal staffs for
ward and the Solid green water washing
the low decks continually Is but one pic
ture of life the rolling deep in q mere
shell of boat In the harbor and when,
at sea in fair weather the torpedo boats'
run with matches open. the commanding off,
ficer stands on watch clear OF the forward
coming tower, and the crew lounge on,
deck but when the little craft begins to
roll and plunge In the seaway the matches
closed. and. barring the stumpy snoke-S
stack, the vessels resemble baby whales a.
play. 1t Is then that the crew suffer most
while at sea. All must remain below decks !
or place themselves In jeopardy. To VEN !.
ture above while the vessel Is plunging1
about the sea with decks awash would be ,
extremely hazardous. n
Sometimes the Japanese steward viii es-
say to climb along the deck from stern to :
the forward hatch with a smoking dish q
clasped tightly in his hands. He is In
race with the seas. If he reaches his desti. /,
nation forward he Is lucky II the seas get
there first the fishes get the food. In the
event the seas overtake him. then he has
to scramble back to the galley and await ?
another chance. This is an amusing incl I:
dent of life aboard. to watch the steward
essay the trip forward in rough weather.
Intense heat prevails below decks when the
craft is under way, with matches closed,
and the humidity is one of the inconven-
fences to which the crew Of a torpedo boat
IS subjected and Is one OF the most ob1ec-
tioaable features of life aboard the torpedo
craft, as the heat Is oppressive and fearfut
at times with all four boilers under full
croft and ponderous engines throbblng
and pulsating at full speed Of perhaps twen- +,
ty-five or thirty knots. ..