The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-08-10

Men Serving on Torpedo Seats Are
Crampsd and Roasted.

WI "
crsmpsd and Roasted.
Norfolk Landmark: Each OF the torpedo
craft carries q crew Of from sixty to sew
enty men. and when n considers the size
OF the space In which 10 IL necessary for
these men TO move about In operating the
powerful yet intricate machinery and md
sleeping space also. one must marvel at
the life aboard q vessel OF this class.
To live In quarters the size OF an ordin-
AIRY dry goods box a not The life that the
everyday American cares TO essay. To en-
dure u life for hours at q stretch with
out sleep or food. and 10 stand exposed IN
all ciimates-such 10 life aboard q torpedo
craft for officers and men alike. There h
no Discrimination: that IN why one sees
beardicss faces n slender figures behind
the coming tower when these long. three
and four-stacked flyers run into port for
coal and water at frequent intervals.
which 10 necessary on account Of their
limited space for carrying these necessi-
ties. In the comparatively smooth wa
tiers OF this harbor the torpedoboats look
very much like the motor racers In dis
guise. but they are far from being tho
pleasure craft that the autoboats are. n
they 70 where the helmsman OF a motor
boat would not dare TO venture.
The ocean r. the place 10 see the torpc-
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 flying above the signal
staifs forward and the solid green water
washing the low decks continually. IL but
one picture Of life on the rolling deep In q
mere shell OF n boat. In the harbor and
when ut sea In fair weather the torpedo
boats run with matches open. the com
mandlng officer n on watch clear OF
the forward coming tower. and the crew
loupge on deck. but when the little craft
begins to roll and plunge I'm tho seaway
the matches are closed. and. barring the
stumpy smokcstack. the vessels resemble
baby whales at play. IL In then that the
crew suffer most while at sea. All must
remain below decks. or place themselves
In jeopardy. To venture above while the
yessci Is plunging about the sea with
decks awash would be extremely
hazardous. Sometimes the japanese stew
ard will essay to climb along M deck
from stern 10 the forward hatch with a
smoking dish clasped tightly In his hands.
He ~ In n race with the seas. IL he reaches
his destination forward he IL lucky. II the
seas get there first the fishes get the food.
In the event the seas overtake him then
ne mas to scramble back 10 the galley and
await mother chance. This In an anus
ing incident OF life aboard. TO watch the
steward essay the trip forward In rough
weather.
Intense heat prevails below decks when
The craft II under ray with matches
sioscd. and the humidity II one OF the In
convenience to which the crew OF q tor
pcdoboat IL subjected. and 10 one OF the
most Questionable features OF l'fe aboard
the torpedo craft. as the heat In opprcs-
sive and fearful at times. with all four
boilers under full drarght and pondcrous
Engines ~throbbing and p~ulsating at full
speed OF perhaps twenty-five or thirty
knots.