Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-12-04
ON a MONSTER BATTLE Snip.
a Vernon County Naval Soldier Writes
of Experiences.

DEAR EDITOR AND FRIENDS: As our
ship, the Ohio. is tied up in dry-dock
here. for many repairs which viii be
needed for our long cruise TO the Pa
cific, | win take this opportunity of
writing a few lines to the CENSOR and
my friends. There are FIVE first-class
battleships in this navy alone, and the
remainder of the fleet comprising the
sixteen battleships whicy will go to the
other side are scattered around at Ports
mouth, Charleston and Hampton Roads,
Virginia, and all of them are under
going repairs. We will not get out of
the dry-doek before the 29th instant,
and viii not leave New York until the
9th or 7th of next month. Our ship is
being generally renovated in the way
of installing laundry, dish washing
machine, and the wiring for the tubes
through which electric wires run for
instruments which are to control firing
during target practice, orin war with
Japan either. We are expected to ar
rive at San Francisco about April 10th,
if all goes well. Although very rough
weather is anticipated around Cape
Horn, which will no doubt make few
of the Rockies, who have never been
to sea. wish that they were somewhere
else. Our captain was transferred and
relieved by Captain Bartlett, who has
been doing shore duty. Captain Herl-
ner was our other captain 5 name, and
took part in the late war with Spain.
He was then lieutenant commander of
the Texas, which is now almost thing
of the past, as far as being modern is
concerned This ship is 3S1 feet long
and is about 72 feet wide, if may use
that term tomake il more plain TO some
who are not well acquainted with navy
terms. She is also a first-class battle
ship, and a sister shipto the Minnesota
and Missouri, two other fine new vessels
carrying heavy batteries. The Ohio
carries four twois a-inch guns, fourteen
six-inch guRs, and fom three-inch guns,
besides the c,.e-poupders aud Gatling
guns. have COED job on a six-inch
gun. and one that is not so easy either.
The six-inch shells weigh los pounds
and twelve OF these shells are fired in
succession during record target practice.
which it is my job TO throw into the
gun. On account of The great con
cussion, these six-inch guns are made
so that the breeeh rebounds sixteen
in,hes, which greatly lesseTis the shock.
New eoRtrivances are being expert
mented upon to place in the ears during
heavy firing, but 50 far they have been
used only by the officers. The twelve
inch guns are loaded entirely by elee-
tricity, because of the great weight Of
the shells. which weigh $40 pounds and
will carry twelve miles accurately. 1t
requires about 255 pounds of powder TO
fire a twelve-ineh gun. The powder is
smokeless and looks about like lead
pencil cut into pieces Of about an inch
and half in length that is the di-
ameter Of the pieces are about the same
as a common lead j neil In color it is
of grayish yellow, and is very powerful.
1t will burn like candle if left in the
open air, but when confined, small
piece would do great harm if exploded.
Well / must close as in the NAVY one
must respond readily when called upon
TO do anything. Wishing all my friends
a merry Christmas and happy New
Year. / am Very truly,
C.~M. CAMPBELL.
Navy Yard, Brooklyn, Nov %.