Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-20

quarters begins. 1t is we'll worth seeing that rush.
Doors of officers quarters arc flung open, sometimes
faces made little pale by the thought of what may IN
the future happen deadly earnest Their husbands
probably have both hands occupied in bucng their
swords they run.
First come men singly, or in pairs Then follow
larger groups which unite in hurrying mass, only to
split again the various stations neared For the
all distinctions of rank are lost IN seemingly
wild confusion, and the confusion of costume is no less.
Service uniforms and brown working overalls FREEDOM
mate sometimes parts of both seen on the same
man. Here perhaps. is Second Lieutenant Smith in
full dress frock and gilt belt while by his side spr1nts
Lieutenant Jones' trying to keep crash bath slippers
on his feet while his sole insignia of commissioned
rank is the sword that he has girded outside his
paIamas.
Behind them running easily and WELL there may be
four or five Young privaes, who have been enjoying
surreptitous nocturnal SWIM The water still gistens
their tanned skins. and their costumes are almost
negligible in quantity But over these costumes. such
they are they their belts and bayonets, and
their rifles in their hands
Last of all fringe of fat field officers, putting
that each successive breath becomes an increasingly
difficult problem. But, notwithstanding this they trot
doggedly ahead Duty calls them it does the young
sters and those bugles squirting them on
At last however, all have painted to their stations,
and the buges stop hush follows made dramatic by
its contrast with the confusion that has preceded it.
hush that is only emphasized by sivery little gongs-
timing bells, they called-wich ring three times
every twenty seconds Everything is ready to begin.
THE eyes of the fort first to get into action.
diameter which throw beams of light intense that
person could read page of finest print miles away,
should of these beams happen to fall upon it. The
searchlghts sweep back and forth. Presently two of
them pick up attacking vessel each One OF these
vessels destroyer, sliding along with furtive swift
ness, like the viper that She is. The other is great
battleshp her sides turned to silver by the brlance
black smoke pouring from her tunnels, and the white
foam ping high against her bow she PUSHES forward
to get within easier range.
Being discovered however series of flashes, looking
rusty red against the searchlght BEAM wink out along
her sides and vanish few seconds later the thudding
reports of her guns reach those shore From the fort
there reply yet its brain has not had time
to act
In both primary and secondary stations two men
sitting and in each timing bell rings. Sometimes these
stations hold more than two but never less. One
of these men, the observer sits with his eye at the tee
scope of the azmuth instrument, while his right hand
turns tangent that controls the telescopes lat
eral movements. Opposite him the reader, with tele
phone harness his head sits peerng the graduated
circle of the instrument. upon which little electric
bulb. carefully shaded, throws the ray of light
permitted within the observatory These two stations
form the perceptive part of the forts brain The reflect
i've, rather the executive part centers largely IN the
plotting