The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-08-11
HAVE HARD LIFE.
Men Serving on Torpedo Roats Are
Cramped and Roasted.


Norfolk Landmark: Each of the torpedo
craft carries a crew Of from sixty to sew
enty men, and when one CONSIDERS the size
If the space in which 1t is necessary for
these men to move about in operating the
powerful yet intricate machinery and find
sleeping space also, one must marvel at
the life aboard a vessel of this class.
To live in quarters the size of an ordin-
ary dry goods box IS not the life that the
everyday American cares to essay. To en-
dure such life for hours at a stretch With
out sleep or food, and to stand exposed in
all cl!mates-such Is life aboard a torpedo
craft for officers and men alike. There IL
no discrimination: that is why one sees
beardless 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 on account OF their
limited space for carrying these necessi-
ties. In the comparatively smooth wa
ters of this harbor the torpedoboats look
very much like the motor racers In dis
guise, but they are far from being the
pleasure craft that the autoboats are, and
they go where the helmsman OF a motor
boat would not dare to venture.
The ocean is the place to see the torpe-
doboat under way, and then life on board
the craft can be seen in its true light.
Sticking their bows into the long, green
SWellS, the spray uy!ns dDOVe Tue SlShdi
staffs forward and the solid green water
washing the low decks continually, is but
one picture of life OH the rolling deep in a
mere shell OF a boat. In the harbor and
when at sea in fair weather the torpedo
boats run with matches open. the COM
handing officer stands on watch clear or
the forward coming tower, and the crew
lounge on deck, but when the little craft
begins TO roll and plunge in the seaway
the ha tches are closed. and. barring the
stumpy smokestack, the vessels resemble
baby whales at play. 1t is then that the
crew suffer most while at sea. All must
remain below decks, or place themselves
IN jeopardy. To venture above while the
vessel is plunging about the sea with
decks awash would be extremely
hazardous. Sometimes the japanese stew
ard will essay to climb along the deck
from stern to the forward hatch with a
smoking dish clasped tightly in his hands.
lie IS in a race with the seas. If he reaches
his destination forward he is lucky. If the
seas get there first the fishes get the food.
In the event the seas overtake hin then
ne mas to scramble back to the galley and
await another chance. This is an mus
.ng incident of life aboard, to watch the
steward essay the trip forward in rough
weather.
Intense heat prevails below decks when
he craft is under way, with matches
closed, and the humidity is one OF the in
.onveniences to which the crew of a tor
pcdoboat is subjected. and is one Of the
most objectionable features of l:fe aboard
the torpedo craft, as the heat is oppres-
sive and fearful at times. with all four
boilers under full draught and ponderous
Engines ~throbbing and pulsating at full
speed of perhaps twenty-five or thirty
KNOTS