Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1892 — DRILL ON A WARSHIP. [ARTICLE]

DRILL ON A WARSHIP.

1 VIGOROUS ROUTINE VARIED WITH SPECIAL EXERCISE. How the Men Fight Fire, Abandon Ship, and Clear the Deck for Action. “Fire quarters’' i? usually one of tho first drills at which the crew on a man-of-war is exercised. The ringing of tho big bell, which hangs forward, is the signal of fire, and nt the first sound tho men are tnujjht to move quiokly to their ullotml stations. Those detailed for the puinns spring to their places, and while they are shipping tho handles others unreel the hose and carry tho nozzles to tho part of the ship where tho fire is supposed to be. A dozen or so seize hammocks and follow tho executive officer. They are known as “ smotherors,” and, if ho so orders, they unlash the hammocks and take out blankets. These, when wet and thrown on a fire, serve excollcntly well to smother the blaze.

Down below tjie gunner and his assistants stand at a magazine and shellroom flood cocks, ready to flood tho explosives should tho fire approach too near. Hatches are battened down to exclude any draught, and if tho ship is at sea the officer in charge of tho deck immediately alters her course, to bring the wind on a quarter least favorable to a spread of tho fire. The topmon scurry aloft and, taking the leather fire-buckets which are suspended under the tops, prepare to extinguish any sparks which may endanger the top hamper of sails. A half-dozen men from tho crew of each boat are meanwhile busy gottiug up provisions and water for their respective boats. They place their burdens on dec* alongside tho cutters, but do not attempt to get into them. At each boat d&* it stands a marine witb a fixed bayonet who sterniy warns away any one who attempts to climb into the boat. Various stratagems are rosoited to by the Captain and First Lieutenant to ascertain if tho marines know their duty at this drill. Cue of them is to order a sailor into a boat to see if tho gear for lowering it is in shape or for any other purpose that tends to put tho sentry olf his guard. If the latter is well trained the seaman will find a leveled rifle confronting him when he attempts to get into the boat, even though the marine bus heard tho Captain's order. If tho uuwurv sentry allows the man to pass, tho negligence is repented to the marine officer, and several days’ extra duty servo to impress upon the sea soldier the necessity of u strict compliance with the order that prohihts any one from going into a boat until the oull to abandon ship is sounded. This exorcise naturally follows that of fire quarters. At every drill the fire is supposed toguin sueh headway as to make it necessary to abandon the ship. After the executive officer has made a complete roundof the ship and seen that every one is at his proper station, ho comes on dock and makes a roport to tho Captain. Then is heard a lively air played by the bugler, and accompanied by the noiso of scampering feet can bo distinguished tho notes of “The Girl I Left Behind Me” which is tho signal to abandon ship. The bouts are rapidly lowered, and ns soon.as they touch tho water, boxes of ctlnned meat und casks of water nro passed from hand to hand nud placed between tho thwarts. After tho men uro in thoirplaces the boat officer springs into tho stem sheets, and the order to “shove ofi ’is given. Almost in less time than it takes to toll it tho ship is abandoned.

Both of thoso oxercisos have no other object than the preservation of the ship and tho safety of the crew. Home of the other drills have a far ditforent purpose. That of general (juartors is to make tho men efficient in fighting. Onoo a week it ia gone through with, and the exercise is lively while it lusts. At the call "Clear ship for action!” everything in the way of an iuoumbrunoe about the deck is bundled below into the hold. As elaborate preparations nro made for tho mimic fray us though an actuul encounter was impending. Light yards uro sent down from aloft, and tho lieudbooms rigged in so us to givo tho rum a chance to do its work. A big hawser is got up from tho hold and coiled upon the poop, to bo used as a spring in case tho ruddor scrow is disabled, and it becomes necessary to spring tho ship broadside to tljo enemy. Grapnels nro got over tho stern in readiness to clear tho propeller in event of its becoming fouled .by floating docks. Extra lashings are put on tho yards, and preventer braces are put in place ia case the others are shot away. If at anchor, the boats are lowered aud dropped astern; at sea, sails are passed under thorn to prevent splinters from Hying should tlioy bo struck by an enomy's shot. Sand is sprinkled upon the gun deck to prevent it getting slippery with blood, und down in tho sick bay the surgeon mukes equully unpleasant preparations.

When all the preparalions are comploated the drums beat to quarters. The executive officer has churgo of tho drill, and gives his orders from the bridge. Iho operation of firing at an enemy ahead is gouo through with, and the one on the extreme quarter engages attention. As the action boComes warm, foes bob up at all points of the compass. The orders, “Man the starboard battery!" “Man tho port buttery!” “Man all tho funs!” are given in quick succession. 'ho rapid-fire and inucbine guns keep up a spiteful rattle, and in roal action would be hurling a storm of missiles to the foe. “No. 4 at No. 2 gun is wounded!” calls the officer from tho bridge. The words ure hardly uttered before a sailor is soen to full to the deck. The officer of his division looks quickly around, but before ho has time to utter a command two seamen have their wounded comrade in their arms and support him until the third unrolls a stretcher. “Shot through the arm!” says the officer as tho men look inquiringly at him, and in another moment the injured member is tightly bound with a tourniquet and the wounded defender of his country’s honor is hurried below. It is permissible for him to struggle if he is only slightly hurt, but if his wound is in a vital spot he is expected to keep quiet. In the heat of u mimic battle, the First Lieutenant on one occasion called out the number of one of a gun’s crow who had been hit. and located the wound in the man’s neck. The “aids to the wounded” promptly seized the man and when one of them asked his division officer if he should apply a tourniquet, the latter, whose attention had been diverted, said, “Of course.” The man did not mind an imaginary wound, but strongly objected to having a touruiquet squeezed about his neck, but obedience to orders is a bluejacket’s characteristic, and as the order had been given to put a tourniquet oh tho man’s neck it was done. When the trio reached the sick bay it took the surgeon nearly

two hours to resusoitnto the halfstrangled victim to the zeal of his oomrudes. "Collision drill” is nn exercise that is frequently practiced on board the vessels of tho now faavy. A blast from the shrieking whistle is the signal for this exercise. At the sound, the doors to tho water-tight compartments are closed and the men stand clear of the bow.—[New York Times.