The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1905-07-22
HARE LIFE OF A SAILOR.
Men on Torpedo Boats, Who Are
cramped and ROasted-Heat
Intense Below Decks.

Each of the government tOrpe-
do craft carries a crew of from 60
to 20 men and when one considers
the size of the space in which it is
necessary for these men to move
about in operating the powerful
vet 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
ordinary dry goods box is not the
life that the everyday American
cares to essay. To endure such a
life for hours at a stretch with
out sleep or food, and to stand
exposed in all climates-such is
life aboard a torpedo craft for of
ticers and men alike. There is 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 inter
walls which is necessary onaccount
of their limited space for carrying
these necessities. In the com
paratiyely smooth waters of Nor
folk harbor the torpedo boats look
very much like the motor racers in
disguise, but they are far from
being the pleasure crafts that the
autoboats are, and they 90 where
the helmsman of a motor boat
would not dare to venture.
The ocean is the place to see the
torpedo boat under way, and then
life on board the craft can be seen
in its true light. Sticking their
bows into tie long, green swells,
the spray flying above the signal
STATS forward and the solid green
water washing the low decks con
tinually, is but one picture of life
on the rolling deep in a mere she'll
of a boat. In the harbOr and when
at sea in fair weather the torpedo
boats run with matches open, the
commanding officer stands on
watch clear Of the forward con
ming tower, and the crew lounge
on deck, but when the little craft
begins to roll and plunge in the
seaway the matches are closed,
and, barring the stumpy smoke
stacks, the vessels resemble baby
whales at play. 1t is then that
the crew suffers most while at sea
All must remain below decks OF
place themselves in jeopardy. To
venture above while the vessel is
plunging about the sea with decks
awash would be extremely haz.
ardOus. Sometimes the Japan
sse steward will essay to climb
along the deck from the stern to
the forward hatch with a smoking
dish clasped tightly in his hands
He is in a race with the seas. i
he reaches his destination for
ward he is lucky. If the seas ger
there first the fishes get the food
In the event the seas Oyertakt
him then he has another scram
bic back to the galley and avail
another chance. This is an anus
ing incident of life aboard t.
watch the steward essay the triI
forward in rough weather.
Intense heat prevails beloy
decks when the craft is under way
with matches closed, and the hu
mildly is one of the inconveI
fences to which the crew of a tol
pedo boat is subjected, and is on
of the most Objectionable feature
of life aboard the torpedo craft, a
the heat is oppressive and fearfu
at times, with all four boilers III
der full draught and %ponderou
engines throbbing and ~pulsatin
at full speed Of perhaps Is or 8
knots.