The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-05-18
WATCHING A NAVAL BATTLE.
Disappointing When Considered az a
Spectacle.

Spectacle.
One of the most disappointing
things in this world is to witness a
naval battle" said an old-time war
correspondent who was present at
Santiago when Cervera's fleet was de-
stroyed. ITO most persons fight at
sea means an unearthly, ear.splitting
cannonade, accompanied by flashes of
lightning as If ship were turned
into a volcano and followed by pail
of black and white smoke that extends
far away to the horizon across the
blue sea. AS a matter of fact there
is precious little of all this.
AT a distance of a mile from the
scene of the fighting, about all the
sounds heard on water is a success
sion of dull thuds very unlike the
crash of giant guns and cannons fired
ashore. Aboard a battleship in ac.
tion OF course the din Is something
unearthly; but the point ! make is
that the sound does not carry for a
cent at sea, and that a man on top
of mountain three miles off will hear
more noise of sea battle than the
fellow who is at sea and only mile
off.
About the only magnificent sight
afforded by the modern battleship in
action is the tongues of flame as they
leap out of the throats of the great
guns to the accompaniment of puffs
of white smoke. When a big gun is
fired the smoke belches forth like a
cloud OF steam, shaped for all the
world like big, snowy balloon.
ITO prove what slight noise is
heard from a gun at sea, let me tell
you an instance when our press boat
was chased by Spanish gunboat that
was firing at us for an hour without
us knowing 1t. We were off Havana
during the early stage of the Spanish
war, and were cruising back and forth
one night, praying for something to
happen, when about three of four
miles off we made out the red and
green side lights of vessel that
seemed to be moving head on in our
direction.
DO you s'pose that fellow is fol.
lowing us, or do you think he Is just
doing patrol duty?' | asked the Cap
tain.
Well find out pretty quick was
the answer, as the prov of our steam
er was headed about and we started
on a new tack.
Out of the darkness from the d.
rection of the gunboat came a flash
of lightning.
We're going to have a storm,
think, l remarked to the Captain. Did
you see that lightning?'
I'VE kept our eyes peeled for the
storm and were watching the gun
boat which had changed it's course,
proving that 1t was heading for us,
when second flash Of lightning came
out Of the darkness.
We're going to get something
worse than a storm II we don't look
out-those dagoes are firing at us!'
said the Captain. We haven't light
aboard but they can keep track of
us by the smoke out of the funnel.
| should say they were about three
miles off,
Cant you get bit more Of q
wiggle on your | asked, anxiously.
Seems to me they are closing up on
u.s.
"They were closing up indeed, and
the worst Of 1t was that our coal was Of
little use for steaming purposes. The
Captain called the steward, who said
he had eleven cans of lard that might
be helpful, and lard In that climate
being like so much liquid oil we took
it below and threw it on the coal,
and 1t sent up blaze that reached
like torch clear out OF the top Of the
funnel. But we got steam up in great
shape, and we were able to go fifteen
knots to the Spaniard's ten. When
he saw us getting away from him he
brought his ship broadside to and
fred about everything he could point
at us as parting salute. We could
see the flashes of lightning as they
leaped out OF the guns, and we held
our breath for minute or SO. but
even with the discharge of a broadside
we never heard a sound"