The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1910-11-18
TELLS Of LIFE
ON MAN OF WAR
Sam Noyes Writes Interest
ing Letter of Service
in Navy

States navy. The continual advent OF
new ships and the retiring OF obsolete
ones; changes of stations; the lengthy
cruises that are now in vogue, and other
causes aud conditions contribute TO
variegated existence that knows no mo
notony for either officers or enlisted men.
OF late, however, there has made its
appearance in Uncle Sans floating com
munities what may be justly termed a
new phase Of naval life. 1t all comes
about through the enrolment IN the
American battleshIp feet of several new
sea warriors, larger and more powerful
than any ironcads heretofore known to
man and popularity nicknamed dread
naughts," meaning in this case battle
ship rather than an individual vessel.
Now, of course, the appearance OF
these new giants of the sea has not be-
spoken a new era in the main essentials
of the life OF warship community.
Much of the routine aboard one OF the
new corners is very similar to that which
has prevailed for years past on all our
battle ships-even the oldest ones that
helped through the Spanish American
war. But for all that, there are enough
new wrinkles connected with life aboard
a dreadnaught to arouse the interest OF
all the officers and men IL the navy and
to merit the curiosity OF the public 10
general As for the former it is best evil
denced by the eagerress of the wearers
of gold braid and the enlisted personel
to serve on one of these floating for
tresses.
After all, however, it may be question
ed whether the one attribute which rem
ders these new batteships most con-
spicuous among their fellowsis not their
bigness To the naval expert this mag
nitude, as expressed in gun power and
armor, means simply added power OF
offense and defense, but to the blue
Jacket 1t has also another meaning,
namely, life in larger community The
average red blooded young American
loves to congregate with his fellows. 1t
is this instinct which causes so many
boys to leave the farms for the cities.
Now, -afioat, as ashore, Yankee youth
prefers to be member of the largest
possible community. 1t means greater
and more diversified opportunities for
amusement and in effect, liberty. The
naval tars who like to have plenty of
shipmates have their ambitions graft
fed on the new battleships. Each of
these monsters carries from $50 to ZOO
men, which is upwards OF twice as many
as found room on any of the batteships
.. 7hich the nation was so proud of
scant dozen years ago.
Almost equally important as contrib
uting to the prestige OF these new bat
tleships among the buejackets, is the
fact that dreadnaught offers vastly SUI
perior opportunities for gun play by the
enlisted nen. and when you come down
to it, it is the lure OF shooting with the
big guns that attracts most boys to the
navy and holds them there once they
kNave enrolled in service.
iFhe term "dreadnaught" is synony-
nous. with Fall big guns" which means
that one Of these 10th century death
dealers bristIes with two or three times
as many guns Of the largest size as could
be found 90 any of the battleships ia
J which the nation was putting its trust
op to few months ago.
With the big "barkers" thus multi.
plied it means that just so many more
OF the lads aboard have an opportunity
TO handle the monster shooting irons,
and aside from winning place in the
sejacket aristocracy and having the
Nfaction OF handling the huge rifles,
o.favored jackies get better pay and
achance at the money prizes which
NSam hangs up for the gunners
--dre most successful in hitting the
bulls eye.
Just here il may be we'll to pause for
a moment to remind our readers OF the
origin of the name dreadnaught, which
has come to have such significance in
the United State navy, as we'll as 10 all
the other fighting fleets OF the world.
The original dreadnaught was a British
product and she blazed a new path in
battleship design. Prior to her appear
ance the average battleship, whatever
her nationality, had been armed with
four 12-inch or l3-inch breech- loading
rifles and with variety OF less powerful
hitters, including 8-inch, 5-Inch and
inch guns, and so on through the whole
category of standard weapons down to
the Founders. The policy 10 the
dreadnaught was to curtail the number
OF guns OF lesser Importance, particularly
what might be termed the intermediate
gus, such as the 8.inch and 5-inch and
to place dependence almost wholly upon
the high power, long range thunderer.
The naval novelty John Bull pro-
duced in the dreadnaught impressed
other world powers so favorably that
all the leading nations, including
the United States, followed this exam
pie, and thereupon the word dread
naught came to distir guish not merely
single ship, but the whole family of
all big gun ships, no matter under what
flag. The United States now has four
batteships of the dreadnaught class in
service. Two more will be put through
their PAGES within year preparatory to
Joining the feet aud four others are un-
der construction. When the entire feet
OF new pattern battleships is paid for
the array will represent pretty penny,
for one Of the largest sized vessels costs
ccmplete about Sl20O0O00