The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-02
BRITISH NAVAL DRILL
Practice That Keeps the Crews
 In Fit Condition.
CLEARING SHIP FOR ACTION.

A Lively Time While the Decks Are
 Being Stripped of Everything That
 Would Impede tho Fire of the Guns.
 Working the Torpedo Nets.
 1t is a little after two bells in the forenoon watch, or, in shore going talk. 9 a. m., and the officers and men of the battleship wear an eXpectant air. The ships company is fallen in at sta hons for general exercise. The com mander, surrounded by his staff-a m1dshipman, bugIer and the chief boatswain's mate-is standing on top of the after barbette. A kind of tense hush is over all hands and, indeed, over the rest of the squadron at anchor in the bay. It is general drill morn ing, and the ships of the squadron are about to compete against each other at various evolutions.
 On the after bridge the glasses of the signal boatswain and his yeomen are glued on the flagship. Presently a couple of gayly colored flags are hoist ed at her main. Hardly have they left the rail when the signal boatswain spins round. Signals place net de- fense, sir!'" he cries. "Out nets" bawls the commander. "Out netsv shout the boatswain's mates. Instant ly hordes of men dash at the neat roll of wire nets lying on the shelf round the ship and push it overheard. One edge being held in place. it unrolls as it falls, making a veil on the side 'Clear the net shelfr' The men van- ish. Man the purchaser Somewhere above bugle blares out e."
 The marines. handling large bearing out spars, shove the upper ends of the booms, from which the nets hang, out board. They revolve slowly about their lower ends, which are near the water line and, hauled by the steam capstan on one side and the seamen on the purchase on the other. extend them selves at right angles to the hull. Break" bellows the commander, and a signalman jerks the halyards. A red, white and blue pendant, hitherto waiting in ball at the topsail yard arm, breaks from its confinement and floats out on the breeze, announcing to all and sundry that the ship has finished the evolution and is now pro- tected from torpedo attack by her cr1nOline of nets. First ship, sir,'' re- ports the signal boatswain, and the men, once more at their general sta uons, grin contentedly and make con- temptuOuS comments on the struggles of the remainder of the fleet. There is a short pause till these are ended; then another hoist rises from the flag ships bridge. 'In nets!" is the order, and the ships company is once more galvanized into action. Amid a scene of orderly confusion the huge booms return to position, shut back against the ships side, the brails which pass beneath the nets every few yards are manned, all hands haul with a will, the mass of steel meshes is rolled up and secured on its shelf, and the bright pendant at the topsail yardarm is again broken by the signalman
 A short Stand easy." follows, soon ended by another signal, Clear for action"' To the mind of the bewilder- ed spectator pandemonium follows But it is only in appearance. Each
 
 does it. Under the onslaught of the seamen davits. stanchions, rails, stove pipes-in fact, all things that can pos sibly restrict the fire of the guns-dis- appear with rapidity that gives the impression of their being moved down; skylights are masked by steel matches, boats are turned in and secured, and in two or three minutes the decks are stripped bare and the men again fall en in, awaiting the order to replace gear. This done-a longer job, but still accomplished with celerity-the last and most exciting signal of the forenoon appears-"Away all boats crews; pull round the fieet.''
 The men tumble into their boats at the davits, the lowerers pay out the falls, and in few moments the cut ters, whalers. gigs and galleys are pulling for dear life, midshipman in charge of each. On the after bridge the commander, waving two small hand flags which control the huge steam derrick, is lifting the pinnace and launch from the boat deck and depositing them in the water. Men drop into them, double and treble 1 banking the long oars, and soon these ] are pounding after the lighter boats.
 The evolution is race, ship against l ship. Who will have the first boat | back? Who will have all boats back and hoisted first? Midshipmen, prob 1 ably with bets on the matter, are urg ing their crews on. Every man is putting his back into it for the honor 1 of his ship. Telescopes watch prog | ress from all the vessels of the feet 1 Here comes the galley-the captains 1 boat, manned by picked crew and l dancing through the water under the 1 long sweeping strokes of the oars first boat back. Again the tricolor- ed pendant flies out, and the captains 'doggie" (midshipman) climbs out of the galleys stern sheets, beaming all l over his boyish countenance.
 The boats are hoisted as they return, the men left on board manning the l falls and running away with them to the sound If the ships band playing l on the shelter deck Presently all is 1 square again. The boatswain's mates | pipe Hands carry on smoking" The | forenoons drills are over, and officers l and men alike are in good humor, 1 proud of the final signal received from l