Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-06-17
BRITISH NAVAL DRILL
Practice That Keeps the Crews
In Fit Condition.
CLEARING SHIP FOR ACTION.
A Lively Time While the Deeks Are
Being Stripped of Everything That
Would Impede the Fire Of the Guns
Working the Torpedo Nets.

Working the Torpedo Nets.
II Is n little after two bells I'm the
forenoon watch. or. I'm shore going talk
n. m. and the officers and men OF
the battleship wear an cxpectant mir.
The ships company is fallen IN at sta,
tions for general exercise. The COM
mander. surrounded by his staff-n
midshipman. bugler and the chief
boatswains mate-is standing on top
of the after barbette. 4 kind Of tense
hush Is over all hands and. indeed,
over the rest OF the squadron ut anchor
I'm the hay. IL Is Al general drill morn
ing. and the ships Of the squadron are
about to compete against. each other
ut various evolutions.
On the after bridge the gIasses 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-
Tense, sir" he cries. "Out nets ~
bawls the commander. "out netsr'
shout the boatswain's mates Instant
~ hordes of men dash at the neat roll
OF wire nets lying on the shelf round
the ship and push IL overheard. One
edge being held In place. It unrolls ms
IL falls, making veil on the side.
Clear the net shelf" The men van
ish. Man the purchaser Somewhere
above n buGle blares out a &c"
The marines. handling large bearing
out spars. shove the upper ends of the
booms. from which the nets hang. ont
board. They revolve slowly about their
lower ends, which are near the wafer
line ana, 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
Freak bellows the commander ana
signalman jerks the halyards. A
req. white and blue pendant. hitherto
waiting in ball at the topsail yard
arm. breaks from its confinement and
doats out on the breeze, announcing
to all and sundry that the shin has
finished the evolution and Is now pro-
tected from torpedo attack by her
crinoline OF nets. First shin. sir" re-
ports the signal boatswain. and tina
men. once more at their general sta-
lions. grin contentedly and make con-
temptuous comments on the struggles
OF the remainder OF the feet. There
Is a short pause till these are ended:
then another hoist rises from the flag.
SHIPS bridge. I'm nets," is the order.
and the ships company is once more
galvanized into action. Amid 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 n will.
the mass of steel meshes is rolled up
ana secured on It's shelf. and the bright
pendant ut the topsail yardarm Is
again broken by the signalman.
A short stand easyr' follows. soon
ended by another signal. Clear for
action To the mind OF the bewilder-
ed spectator pandemonium follows.
But 1t Is only In appearance. Each
man knows what he has 10 do and
does II. Under the onslaught of the
seamen davits. stanchions, rails, stove
pines-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 ara
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 feet"
The men tumble into their boats at
the davits. the lowerers pay out the
falls. and In few moments the cut
tiers. whalers. gigs and galleys are
pulling for dear iife.' a midshlpmap In
charge OF each. On the after bridge
the commander. waving two small
hand hags 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 |
banking the long oars. and soon these |
are pounding after the lighter boats.
The evolution Is race. ship against |
ship. Who will have the first boat |
back? Who will have all boats back |
and hoisted first? Midshipmen. prob |
ably with bets on the matter are urg-
Ing their crews on. Every man Is |
putting his back into IL for the honor
OF his ship. Telescopes watch prog.
ress from all the vessels OF the feet.
Here comes the galley-the captains
boat. manned by a picked crew and
dancing through the water under the
long sweeping strokes Of the oars
nrst boat back. Again the tricoIor-
ed pendant flies out. and the captains
'doggie" (midshipman) climbs out of
the gailey's stern sheets. beaming all
over his boyish countenance.
The boats are hoisted as they return.
the men left on board manning the
falls and running away with them to
the sound Of the ships band playing
on the shelter deck. Presently all IL
square again. The boatswaIn's mates
pipe Hands carry on smoking" The
forenoon's drills are over. and officers
and men alike are In good humor.
proud OF the final signal received FROM
the all powerful flagship:
EXECUTIONS smartly performed"
London Globe.