The Meeker herald., 1915-06-19
IN A NAVAL FIGHT
Vital Work Is Done In the Con-
troll Room Of the Vessel.
THE HEART OF THE WARsuIP.
Through This Steel Cell, Deep Under
the Deck, the Commander In the
Coming Tower 10 In Touch With
Every Person and Event on Board.

Coming Tower 10 IN ioueh win
Every Person and Event on Board.
When a warship sails into action her
heart pulses and throbs as eager for
the fray as the hearts Of any OF her
crew. Yes. warship has heart.
room. deep down under the deck. stu
ated aft. usually abaft the SECOND
funnel.
Even on big fighting ships the heart
is small. Generally it is only ten feet
by six, and is almost noise proof and
eerily quiet 1t IL really steel vault.
entered by door not unlike the door
Of burglar proof safe.
From floor to ceiling the walls are
lined with dials. wires. gauges. electric
bells. speaking tubes. switches and
great amount Of other apparatus which
keeps the commander in constant touch
with every corner of the ship. II IL
the most wonderful and the most fear
full room ON earth or sea.
1t is fortress within fortress.
steel cell within the steel walls Of the
fighting engine.
To be in the control room during &C.
tive service Is to feel like being in
vault with the door locked on the out
side. This little compartment. which
visitors seldom see. will keep alive as
long as there Is a living soul on board
able to hear and answer call.
| It Is through the control room that
the commander issues his instructions.
observes and notes how the battle Is
going. calls the gun crews from place
| to place. directs the engineers. steers
the whole fabric and supervises every
| thing. II a submarine is seen In any
direction It Ia through the control room
that 1t is reported.
A little he'll rings. voice far away
speaks. Submarine on the port bow.
sir. two leagues on" In an instant
the answer thrills the gun crews:
WARE submarine on the port bow:
enemy's craft. Ready The gunners
have been ready for some time. and
when the chief gunner has Laid" the
gun to his satisfaction bang goes
message the enemy will not forget If It
hits him.
II a gun has to cease fire the order
comes through the control room. If
the enemy lands shell on deck or
anywhere In the warship the doctors
are notified that they are wanted at
that spot almost as soon as the men
have fallen. II the gun crew are dead
it II from the heart Of the ship that the
| order is given for fresh men to ali
their places.
Though the captain himself Is in the
coming tower above. he knows through
the officer in the control room Just
what has happened to his ship and the
extent of the damage. and II the cap
tain Is killed in the coming tower or
Oh the bridge the chief officer in the
control room goes up at once to take
bis place
| There are generally about six men
in this little throbbing heart OF the bat
tleship. including operators and junior.
officers.
The chief officer gives directions to
the torpedo operators. the gunners. the
searclIlight manipulators and the on
GERS in charge of the fighting masts. ie
such are part Of the ships equipment.
But. besides all this. there are thou
sand and one things to attend to dur
ing an engagement.
Every order has to be given at an
lnstants notice: given distinctly. firm
~ without the slightest hesitation Or
hurry. II Is only IN the control room
tnat one learns whnt the phrase de
Sot'on TO dnty really means.
everything goes with automatic pre-
cision In the heart OF warship. and
as 1t Is the most vital spot on board
special care Is taken to preserve 1t
from harm.
Think or the steady nerves required