Show k A. SHIP SEEP IN ACTION WHAT TAKES PLACE ON BOARD IN A FIGHT FICHT Stirring Scenes on Deck and on On the Call CaU to Quarters Ever Every Man Jan Moves to Ills nl Own a e as by Clockwork Clockwork-A A Terrible Moment Few people outside the naval service know just how a war vessel goes Into a tight fight To put a battleship like the Iowa a or Indiana In thorough readiness for action ordinarily requires about two I r hours though of course it can be done in much less time Ume in case of urgency w e There is one thins thing that mak makes s it a ac c comparatively simple and orderly task r On board a fighting vessel every man has a certain assigned ne 1 post pot and a a. certain certain tain tamn task laid out for him with which he lie is perfectly familiar This holds f true from the captain himself down own to the little coolies who wait Walt on table for forthe forthe forthe the different messes When the signal is sounded it brings brines every man to his place and long familiarity makes the work so Involved and complicated to the eyes of an outsider a mere matter of routine If a ship engages an enemy unexpectedly unexpectedly edly so that there is not the usual time for lor preparation the call to quarters Is sounded immediately and the men take their places in divisions In this case each ach division attends to a part of the work of clearing the ship but ordinarily ily the first signal Is Clear for action At the boatswains boatswain's whistle and the verbal verbal verbal ver ver- bal command the men move to their In Command of Atlantic Squadron positions those whose places are on deck forming in squads under the di direction direction direction di- di of the different officers The captain takes his place on the bridge Later when the battle begins he will go Into the protected conning tower through the narrow slits of which he can watch everything that takes place on deck and the movements movement of the enemy enemy enemy en en- emy as well But for the the preparations are being made he must dust decide the general plan of action how Low the guns are to be used and the class and nature of projectile on which he will deI depend end All Alt Decks Cleared Near the captain stands th the navigator tor who will have charge of ot the han- han Jc r Z V r A ON THE GUN DECK I dung of the ship during the engagement engagement engagement engage engage- ment the signal officer and the various aids First of all the decks and workIng working work- work Ing spaces are cleared The spars rigging rigging rigging rig rig- ging and boats are secured Everything Everything Everything Every Every- thing movable that will not be needed In charge of the little platform high up in the mainmast haul up arms and ammunition and make everything re ready dY In their lofty quarters even to i rj 1 r V irk y filling the tho fire tire buckets with which to put out a a. blaze should one bo ho started up aloft The carpenter under the direction of the navigator sees to the during the engagement is firmly lashed into place where It will not interfere with the work The who are removal of ot awning stanchions hatch walls and every light object that is no not essential to the management of tho the ship The chronometers and other delicate Instruments are carefully gathered gathered gathered gath gath- ered up and laid away below to save them from destruction by concussion The torpedo division gets out its apparatus apparatus appal- appal atus for sending torpedoes and spreads the Intercepting nets over the tho ships ship's r F Fn n- n h NEW EW STYLE DISAPPEARING GUN sides where they can be quickly lowered lowered lowered low low- ered if need be Below the activity is equally great The engine fires tires are started up and steam is made as fast as possible for a a. modern battleship is Intended to go Into Into into In In- to action under a a. full fun head of steam The steam and bilge pumps are rigged and the magazine squads stands to its post but the magazines are not unlocked unlocked unlocked un un- un- un locked until the signal for action The keys however are delivered to the officers officers of or- of the powder division by the j captain at the first signal When the ship is cleared the call to quarters is given and the men take their places in divisions The gun squads stand to their guns and make them ready for use The hatches except except except ex ex- those that will be used are covered covered covered cov cov- ered with gratings and tarpaulins the carpenter collects his men and with the stands ready to repair any damage that may be made by the enemy's enemy's enemy's ene ene- mys my's fire tIre or the recoil of the ships ship's cannon A man with a head line is placed at the well and during the fight tight will make frequent soundings to discover discover discover dis dis- cover If the vessel is injured below the water line The hose squad Is placed In charge of the fire tIre apparatus ready for instant service Chemical fire extinguishers are used on all the United States warships now and hand grenades are placed In every quarter of the ship Every precaution Is taken to secure the instant stamping out of ot fire tire should it start in or near the mag mag- The Bull Dull Doctor Down in the sick bay the head surgeon surgeon surgeon sur sur- geon or bull doctor has been di directing directing directing di- di the laying o out t of cots Instruments instruments instruments ments and bandages One hatchway as near amidships as possible is al always always always al- al ways left open for the passing down of ot wounded men The surgeon may have no call on his services but the rule In every quarter of a battleship is Be B prepared for tor the worst and hope for forthe forthe forthe the best When everything is ready i t yam yama IS 4 I a t I 1 LOADING BIG DIG GUNS ON SCHOONER TO BE TAKEN TO ro DRY TORTUGAS I J the officers move to their station stations U Uthe Uthe Uthe the ship Is a a. monitor the battle hatches are closed and the men at last hear the final which they have been Impatiently waiting waiting Action Action At that moment the doors of the magazine magazine magazine mag mag- azine are opened and the men who form the different chains of scuttles begin to pass the cartridge cases up to the deck The delivery of ammunition ammunition ammunition ammu ammu- is In charge of the gunner In modern naval fortunes the gunner is not as many landlubbers suppose the theman theman theman man who fires tires the tho cannon He lIe is a warrant officer and his position is a most responsible one in time of action for he must see to the prompt and steady delivery of cartridges shells and projectiles to all the guns The I chief chic gunner t takes kes his position on the berth deck where he can note the progress of the work His chief assistant assistant assistant as as- I is below the main magazine superintending the handling out of powder and a qua quarter ter gunner Is la In I I I II I I 1 I Ii I 4 i 1 x la 3 r WORKING THE RAPID-FIRE RAPID GUN FROM THE CONNING TOWER charge of each of the other magazines and of the delivery on deck The charges are passed gassed assed up from the magazine in wooden cases which are painted black with the size of ot caliber and charge painted in large white letters letters letters let let- on the side They are passed out of the magazine to a man who sends them up to the lower deck Then they are passed through a slit silt In the magazine magazine magazine maga maga- zine screen screen screen-a a heavy canvas curtain which is Intended to prevent the possibility possibility possibility of sparks reaching to the powder stores From this screen carriers take the boxes to the nearest powder scuttle scuttle scuttle tle where they are passed up to the gun deck and thence to the cannon themselves For moving ammunition various mechanical appliances including IncludIng ing electricity have come into use r |