New-York tribune., 1915-03-28
STOKERS' ROLE In
WARFARE AT SEA
Grimy Men Behind the Shovel
and How They Keep Heart
of the Vessel Beating.

wv done, Indomitable stok-
w ers!" slgnalled Admiral Beat
". after the fleet he com
manded had sunk the Bluecher and
crippled the German fleet as it scuttled
back to Heligoland; while in his report
afterward he said: Great credit is
due to the engine room stats for the
fine steaming of the squadron"
This tribute calls attention to the
important part which the men who
shovel the coal and oil tho cranks play
in modern sea fighting. They are as
vital TO the success Of a naval scrap
as the man behind the gun, says Tit
Bits" For these are the days OF ex-
press speed warships and rapid ma
neuvres, which are only possible when
every ounce of power is being got out
Of the boilers and the engines.
Away down In the hot coal bunkers,
almost naked, grimy stokers will be
serving ! the stoke hold with coal to
feed the roaring furnaces, while the
engineer and his staff are professional
ly attending to the powerful engines.
They get little glory, for In action the
stoke holds and engine rooms are bat
tened down, In order that the furnaces
may be run under forced draft, and
this means that when the order Every
man for himself" goes forth the stok-
or has not even the chance of swim
ming for life which his comrades on
deck enjoy. lie has 10 knowledge Of
how the battle is proceeding above,
and, although he can hear the shells
bursting and fearful explosions occur
ring on deck, he must stick to his work
Of feeding the engines so long as the
orders come through from the control
station.
Mention of the latter recalls that one
Of the most wonderful features Of
battleship is the manner in which 1t
is controlled by the heart of the vessel
Under the deck. situated aft, is the
control room, noise-proof steel vault,
about 10 feet by 6 feet. From floor
TO ceiling the walls are lined with di-
ais, wires, gauges, electric bells, speak
ing tubes, switches and a great amount
of other apparatus. which keeps the
commander In constant touch with
every corner of the ship.
1t is through the control room, which
is usually stated by about six men,
that the commander issues his instruc-
tions, calls the gun crews from place to
place, directs the engineers, steers the
whole ship and supevises everything.
II submarine, for instance, is seen in
any direction, II is through the control
room that II is reported. A little bell
rings, a voice from far away-probably
from the fire control station, which is
on one of the masts above the deck
speaks: Submarine on port bow, sir.
Two leagues Off" In an instant an Off
Ger thrills the gun crews: WARE sub
marine on port bow! Enemy's craft
Ready" The gunners have been ready
for some time, and when the chief gun
ner has laid" the gun 70 his satisfac-
tion-bang! goes message the enemy
will not forget If il hits him.
If a gun has 10 cease fire the order
comes through the control room. If the
enemy lands shell on deck or any
where on the warship the doctors are
told that they are wanted at that spot
almost as soon as the men have fallen.
Though the captain himself is in the
coming tower above, he knows through
l. officer in the control room lust
what has happened to his ship, and the
extent OF the damage. And If the cap
tsin is killed on the coming tower or
on the bridge the chief officer in the
control room goes up at once TO take
his place.
II is the chief officer Of the control
room who gives directions 10 the tor
pedo operators, gunners, searchlight
manipulators and the officers in charge
of the fighting masts, if such are part
OF the ships equipment. Every order
has 10 be given at an instant's notice,
and given distinctly and firmly, without
the slightest hesitation or furry. Think
of the steady nerves required of these
men cooped up in this small room when
the shells are flying around and the
hull is being battered by the enemy's
guns. A wrong signal might mean dis
aster, but the organization is so near
perfection that mistakes are practically