Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-29
CAN, MARsHALLTOWN, 7IOWA:MAY =. 1917.
WHAT rs HAPPENING
WITH GREAT u. S. FLEET

With the United States Atlantic
Fleet. May 24.--The big ships of thu
most powerful feet ever under thu
American1fiag when visited by cor
respondent Of the Associated Press
thru arrangement with the COMMITTEES
on public information, were working
day and night 10 bring about the de-
feat Of Germany on the sea. Ready
for battle. they are spending the wait
ing period turning out sailor men.
The fleet, temporarily, Is great
workshop OF war. Already 1t Is turn
:rs out one of It's finished produces
men who can fight. They are serving
the guns on American armed merchant
ships. Its ether product-men who can
run the great merchant fleet the Unit
ed States will use to feed the allies =
will be ready as soon as the ships.
Ffve-inch gums, the kind principally
Used against submarines, are there ey
the hundreds. On the decks greet tnr-
rets house loLg fourteen and twe.ve-
inch rifles-three or two to turret.
On high platforms guns used for de-
Tense against airplanes point to the
sky. Brass is always shining st.ei is
Always polished. paint Is always new,
decks are always white with scrub
bhg
The men behind the guns hava lost
shipmates in the war-they were guns
crews on merchantmen sunk by ser.
man submarines. And other ship
mates now are on duty aboard The de-
I stroyers operating with the British AMI
French fleets. The men with the Al
iantic fleet are working to prepare
themselves 10 avenge the killing of
their mates.
What Is Happening.
Here's what happened the other day.
a crew was practicing with hve-inch
gun. A bluejacket about l7-he stiil
had down on his chin--was pointing.
He grasped handles on broad brass
wheel: his eye was steady at a rubber
cup at the end of long sight, thru
which he saw the target. His duty
was to keep the gun on the target so
ii might be fred any time.
Around this beardless youth were
grouped other guns crews ready TO FIRE
when his crew had completed its
period.
The breach snanned open. the load
was thrown home, the breach was
hurled back in place and then buzz
ger. operated from the first control
station, sounded; there was fash. a
roar, the hiss OF a projectile speeding
thru the air and the louder hiss of
compressed air blowing smoke out OF
the gun Miles away the projectile
struck the target.
Guess that's bad" said an old man
WARS man looking on admlringiy at
the third shot, as the guns crew got
the range and the pillar of white water
eaped into the air.
How would that do for F'rItzy :?
and"
The buzzer, the roar of the gun and
the hiss OF air interrupted him
Another hit! Gee whiskers, that's
shooting" fsi.es d'tr
On the after deck latest arrivals
a board the ship were set to work that
day, and every other day. in fact. upon
the loading machines. They consist
principally Of breech and block and
slide that carries away dummy pro-
jectiles and powder bags
Officers with stop watches in their
hands set one crew after another to
work the idea being 20 develop ex-
IRENE loading speed by competition,
The newest TiR1Tlpers Of the ships
companies work for days at these load
ing machines. The next step IN their
training carries them 10 the guns. But
they are not yet ready to fire the regu-
lar charges. One Founders, that go or
with a sharp crack. are dashed on top
Of the big guns and the crews go thru
all the motions Of firing, but instead
of a big shell little one weig hing
pound speeds for the target when the
buzzer sounds sr when the turret cap
tains in charge Of the bigger rifles
yell Fire
Real Battle Practies.
After a period OF firing with the sub
caifher arrangement the crews get
down to real battle practice. There
are few ousier places than a tu-ret in
action. Concave steel walls are all
around, and steel roof is just above
the heads OF the gunners. The point
ers sit far forward, underneath the
barrels OF the guns. Little seats like
those on a motorcycle are there Tor
them and on every side are instru-
rnen-s AS the turrent begins to fire,
lift, bearing the huge projectile. bangs
up from below, grea, bags OF powder
slide from the magazines into a long.
brass trough Husky bluetackets toss
the powder into another brass trough
that is slipped into position at the gu
81, .uS-S
as large as a man, meanwhile has been
rolled into the trough, long auto
matte hammer has jumped from the
rear and showed it into the barrel. The
powder bags are driven home, a man
at the breach swings lever. ton Of
steel swings up with hiss Of COM
pressed air. The breach block turns
and locks. a buzzer sounds, the charge
y ignited and with rush OF air the
guns recoN about yard and then
Jump back into position. There is a
loud "swish--swish" as the guns come
back and then go forward. Inside the
turret not much more than that k
heard.
Outside, It is much different. There
is a fash. roar, a ring OF smoke and
the loud whistle Of the projectile rush
ing thru the air. So great IL the con-
cussion that every man outside has
cotton or some other substance in his
ears tc save his ear drums from being
broken.
Fifteen seconds from commence fir
ing" to fire. ia considered pretty good
time for the big guns in the navy.
They have new guns crews in train
ing now who never saw salt water un-