The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1914-10-16

pectant men are grouped around their
monster thirteen inch guns. The great
projectiles and the cordite charges be
hind them have already been pushed
home by the hydraulic rammers, and,
since their weapons are thus fully load.
ed, the guns crews are idle for the
time being.
But the gun layers-the men who aim
and fire the guns-and the trainers
those who keep them pointing in the
right direction-are anxiously keeping
the sights on the target and every now
and then, as they move their small
brass handles, there is a wheeling of
hydraulic machinery, and the great
breeches rise and fall ever so slightly,
while the whole armored structure con.
tanning them revolves an inch or so at
time to keep the sights on.
A minute or two later. after an order
has come through from the control
position, the lieutenant in charge of
the foremost turret suddenly raps out
the order, Bring both guns to the
readyp'
The men standing by the breeches
flick over their small levers. fright
gun ready! Left gun readyr they re
port In rapid succession.
The range meanwhile is decreasing
rapidly and about ten seconds later
there comes the strident rattling of an
electric bell.
1t is the signal TO open fire. The gun
layer holds his breath. sees the cross
wires of his telescope cutting the lat
| ticework of the target and then presses
an innocent looking brass thumb piece
| AS he does so there is a roar, and, with
q blaze~of orange fame and a pail Of
brown smoke, a projectile weighing
more than half ton Is sailing through
the air on its way toward the target
Outside the turret the conclusion is
terrible, but inside it is barely felt, and
| the only means the guns crew have of
| knowing their weapon has gone off is
| by the rocking of the turret and the
recoi Of the gun Back she slides.
with the water whistling and gurgIing
! through the hydraulic valves far be-
! low. She stops and then, as the run.
ming out springs exert their strength,
is driven back to the firing position.
The men meanwhile are working
| like demons. Some one, by moving
small lever which actuates a hydraulic
engine, has opened the breech. A cloud
Of acrid cordite smoke fills the turret,
but another man, turning a tap, sends
jet of water spouting into the cham
Der to extinguish any still burning
fragments.
Every thing seems chaos, but every
one knows what to do-he has done
1t time after time-and in less than
thirty seconds we hear a sharp order,
fright gun, loadp
A man moves an upright lever and
an arrangement looking like a minia-
ture lift climbs into view through the
floor. 1t has come up from the shell
room below laden with the new charge
and proiectile and stops dead in the
rear Of the gun.
Reposing In tray is the shot itself.
Another lever is worked. and flexible
chain hydraulic rammer, looking like a
snake, darts out of its resting place and
pushes the shot before it into the
breech Of the gun.
1t is driven home with a dull thud.
The rammer is withdrawn, another
handle is pulled and two enormous
brown cylinders of cordite fall into
the tray just vacated by the projectile.
They, too, are rammed home, and be
fore we quite realize what has hap
pened the rammer and lift have disap.
peared, the breach of the gun has been
swung home and the great weapon is
ready for firing.
In the fire control position the gun
merry lieutenant has seen the first shot
tear Jagged hole in the target and
promptly whispers an order to a man
at his side. The latter moves a small
handle, and thirty seconds later there
IS another discharge
In about en- minutes It is all over
and the ship is approaching the target
to see the result Of her shooting.-Lon-
don Answers.