The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-10-07

that the two columns. In battle for,
nation. approached each other slowly,
There were but TWENTY-FIVE ships of
the line in the other column, against
the American twcnty-ninc: but every
vessel in the European line was a
dreadnaught. Their order. as reported
by the air Craft. was repeated TO the
officers on the .Nri3onas quarterback
SIX Traia led. the four Pharuohs fol
lowed; six SargonS steamed next. then
the four supcrdrcadnaughts of the
Zeus class: the two Thors were last
With twelve twelvc-inch guns each and
with n speed of twenty-onc knots. the
Thors were the weakest and the slow
est In the European column. Four
great battle cruisers stood Off to lee.
as reserve; and the European destroy,
ers. double in number to the American
darted ahead and abcam of the battle
line.
1t was quarter to 3.ships time. wnr;i
the Idaho signalcd to the column to
alter course. and the flagship shccrc,l
a little to the left; the Arizona. steer
Ing straight to the point where The
Idaho shcercd. altered its helm lik"
wise, and the rest of the fleet followed
The tops Of the Trajan-thc flagship,
of the regents inc-wcrc in plain
sight, with the tops Of the Ncrvos.
Varon and Floron following. With
their superior speed thcy were at
tempting to gain position across the
van OF the American line and rake The
leading ships; so the American column
was changing course to keep the enemy
on the beam. The two column, steam
Ell on almost parallel. therefore. bat
still gradually conNrrgin= and bring
ing the leading vessels OF each limo
within range.
The day WIS bright. and The sim.
high in sky. gave little tnvor tu the
Eunncrs of either fleet what favor
there was lay With the Americans, The
sun garrd down into the water and
disclosed to tho observers in the nv,
droaeroplancs of both sides the move.
mcnt of submarines. The guns of dc.
stroycrs clatterrd continuously as the
craft dartcd back and forth ON their
charges for the protection of the bat
tlcships. but the drstruycw of the
Two sides did not seek lucls: only the
acropancs hurried to engage before
the battle and drive their opponents
from the Sky.
The conditions were almost pcrfcct
for battle in which gun powrr-thc
ability OF the ..rrnt lurrrtrl fighting
ships to give and to takr-nluSt decide.
Mile after mile the lmttleshil,s OK.
tended. AS Bob Wendell g,zcd back
along the line of American ships. when
the Arizona turned after the Idaho
only the tops of the Missouri the,
Gcorgin and the Connecticut marked
the end Of the American line. The
Connecticut was eight miles back. al
most as far away as the Traian. Now
the American column WAS slowing a
little to let the weaker ships at the
rear close mp. s" that two of the Con
nccticut class could engage cncli of
the Zcus and the Thors.
For Il moment. therefore, Bob was
on the deck breathing the glorious
cool air. seeing the sweep of the sea.
the mighty panopIy OF ships. ana hear
Ing the sound OF the water rushing nj
the vessels side Would his veins
Jingle again at breath from such a
breeze? The alarm bells were sound
Ing: The bnglcs were blowing:
"Bnttlc stntionsr'
The breeze brought the notes of the
buglc hmck from the Idaho. as the wind
was herring the call OF the Arizonn's
trumpcts to the Pennsylvania. and 80
all down tho line. Bob Wendell was
no longer himsclf-no longer the all
important figure IN n girls vision. the
desired one of II dream whose life must
be spared To was mt his post In No
turret OF the second bnttlcshiD in
the American column about to fight for
the victory Of the western world. In
the telescope through which he gazcd
he saw reflected the image of the tops
of the Xerxcs-thc second ship In the
regents line-which the Arizona was
to engage and which was to engage the
Arizona In the battle which now was
begun. a great gcyser OF spray 500
yards short and nstcrn the Idaho told
that the Trainn had opened; almost
simultaneously the Xerxcs tested the
range.
commence firing"
Constra'n"lly. automatically Mt first.
1S -" rnn'" cnmn to his, frn,n tho