Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1891 — A MAN-O’-WAR’S MASTS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A MAN-O’-WAR’S MASTS.

Flask Lights and Great Guns as High as the Lighthouse’s Light. In early naval warfare, says the Scientific American, the mast of a vessel was an important aggressive point, and from the masthead were thrown javelins, arrows, hot-shot, Greek fire, and other destructive missiles. The masthead was' then, as now, the chief lookout, and, as all naval battles were at short range, equivalent almost to actual contact of the vessels, the mast was perhaps even more important. than the main armament of the vessel. The accompanying engraving represents the mast of a modern warship, with its lookout and its turret. The mast is made hollow and of sufficient diameter to allow tMe men to asceild. The lower tower is provided with a search light, wnich receives its current through wires extending tip the hollow mast. The turret is armed upon one side with a single piece of ordnance and upon the other with a Gatling gun. Above all is located the lookout or watch tower. With such an auxiliary as this a warship can seriously harass an enemy, besides doing a great deal of actual damage. By the aid of a strong electric light aggressive movements may be carried on at night. Not only can these aggressive movements be carried forward, but by means of the light the entire vicinity of the vessel may be searched for torpedoes and

topedo-boats, thus rendering practical at night the means of defense against the attacks of these wary enemies.