The Washington herald., 1907-10-20

New York, Oct I9-Leut. William
Pigott Cronan, Of Admiral Evans flag
ship Connecticut. Is a modest hero. He
saved the lives Of the gun crew in the
after starboard turret at target practice
off Cape Cod. the other day. by thrust
ing his hand in the smoking chamber of
an S-inch gun, and preventing the block
from closing on naked powder. When
asked how # was that two Of his fingers
on the right hand were cut off as If by
knife. the young lieutenant is very
likely TO snap out that it is nobody's
business.
The fatal explosion on the battle ship
Georgia. few weeks ago. was caused by
the breech block closing on loose powder
within the breech. according 10 the belief
Of the naval board of inquiry. It was
TO prevent a repetition Of just such an
accident on the Connecticut that led
Lieut.. Cronan to stay the closing Of the
breech block Of the s-inch gun by insert
ing his fingers in the breech grooves just
as the heavy butt Of metal was swinging
into place. When they swung back the
breech block. the fragments Of his first
and index fingers, severed at the first
joint. were found ground into the
grooves
The Connecticut had joined the rest Of
the squadron in target practice at Cape
Cod last week. and all of the eight-inch
guns were being worked. The firing was
fast. it being part Of the test that the
guns should be used as rapidly and as
accurately as possible. and. an order 10
outdO the sailors on the other ships that
were engaged IN the practice, the Con-
nectlcrt's men We're working fast TO load.
train, and fire the four big tubes in the
starboard and port turrets.
OF the eight men who were working un-
der command of Lieut. Cronan. two
worked the powder hoist from the maga-
zine below, two swabbed out the gun aft
er each shot two lifted the bags Of pow
der into the breech after the heavy shell
had been placed, and one man swung
back and locked the breech for firing.
Big Gun Was Hot.
The gun got so hot that it was diff
iicUlt to place a hand on the breech
without blistering IT, The men with the
water swabs kept the temperature down
TO the safety point inside the chamber.
but even at that it was almost hot
enough to fash powder, and little fric-
ton would have been enough to set off
any spare grain.
The breech block had just been thrown
back and two bags of powder had been
placed behind the projectile The men
placed third bag in the chamber. but
there must have been a tear In this bag.
for Just as It was put into position Lieut..
Cronan saw some grains Of powder lying
loose on the threads of the breech lock.
The least friction of the breech block
in closing on these grains of powder
would have flashed them, and then the
entire charge would have been exploded.
The lieutenant cried out for the man al
the breech block to stop; but the gunner
had thrown all his strength against the
massive piece Of metal. and It was swing
ing on its oiled hinges to the threads in
the bTeech. In the instant, Lieut. Cronan
jumped TO the breech and thrust HIS
fingers into the narrowing crack be-
tween the block of steel and the ridged
lock. There was a soft thud, and the
lieutenant brought his hand away with
blood streaming from the stumps of his
fingers. The block stopped within a half
inch of the loose powder grains.
When the modest lieutenant was found
on the flagship this afternoon and asked
TO tell about how he lost his fingers. he
abruptly turned on his heel and went
downstairs to his quarters.
Forget it" he said, as his head disap-
peared down the companion-way.