Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-11-13
naval Gun CREWS
Warm Work is Theirs When a
Warship Is In Action.
RANGE FINDING AND FIRING.

et.f operated-The Scene In the Con-
mini Tower and In the TurrOts.
The gray battleship seems strangely
deserted and bare, for her decks are
denuded OF men, while all rails and
Other gpstanding encumbrances have
been aid dat on deck for big gun
practice.
In the coming tower. with its twelve
inch armor. stands the captain. his
navigating officer. a midshipman OF
two and several other officers and men.
The small circular erection. barely ten
feet ifn diameter, seems very cramped
for all It has to contain.
Above the coming tower is another
armored erection. containing range
finder, and inside this is the gunnery
lieutenant. with half a dozen more
officers and men. He is surrounded by
strange looking Instruments, while the
man at the range finder, with his eyes
at its rubber eyepieces, is monotonous-
ly chanting out the distance Of the ap-
preaching target
Inside the turrets themselves the ex-
pectant men are grouped around their
monster thirteen inch guns. The great
projeetiles 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 directlon-are anxiously keeping
the sights on the target, and every now
and then. as they move their small
brass handles, there is wheeling Of
hydraulic machinery. and the great
breeches rise and fall ever so slightly,
while the whole Hrmored structure con-
talnIng them revolves an inch or so at
u 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 rnps out
the. order. Bring both guns to the
readyi'
The men standing by the breeches
flick over their small levers. fright
gun ready! Left gun rendyP' 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
ticeworls of the target and then presses
an innocent looking brass thumb piece
As he does so there Is a roar, and, with
n blnze of orange flame and pail Of
brown smoke, projectile weighing
more than half ton is sailing through
the air on It's way toward the target.
Outside the turret the conclusion is
terrible, but inside 1t 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
recoil OF the gun. Back she slides,
with the water whistling and gurgling
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 a
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
a Jet OF water spouting into the cham
Der to extlnguish any stin burning
fragments.
Everything seems chaos, but every
I one knows what to do-he has done
q 1t time after time-and in less thar
: thirty seconds we hear a sharp order
Fright gun. load"
A man moves an upright lever, and
an arrangement locking like a minia
4 ture lift climbs into view through the
q floor. II has come up from the shel
4 room below laden with the new chargu
9 and projeetile and stops dead In tn,
+ rear Of the gun.
p RepOsing In a tray is the shot itself
+ Another lever is worked, and flexible
0 chain hydraulic rammer, looking like
= snake. darts out OF It's resting place ant
I pushes the shot before It into tn
j breech Of the gun.
n 1t 10 driven home with a dull thud
The rammer is withdrawn, anothe
Q handle is pulled and two enormOu
n brown cylinders OF cordlte fall int
the tray Just vacated by the prOjectile
They, too. are rammed home, and be
fore we quite realize what has haT
n pened the ammer and lift have disaI
Il peared, the breach of the gun has bee
I swung home and the great weapon
i ready for firing
In the fire control position the CUR
i merry lieutenant has seen the first she
/ tear jagged hole in the target an
, promptly whispers an order ~ ma
= at his side. The latter moves sma
handle, and thirty seconds later ther
is another discharge.
. In about ten minutes 1t is all owe
and the ship Is approaching the targ'
to see the result OF her shOoting.-Lol