Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1898 — Sailors’ Queer Drill. [ARTICLE]

Sailors’ Queer Drill.

On American warships in connection with big gun exercise “ram drill” Is practiced, says the New York Tribune. At a signal every man drops where he stands into a posture in which his body is extended at nearly full length, but does not touch the deck, being supported upon the tips of the fingers and the tips of the toes. It Is put into practical use when the ship is about to ram 01 be rammed by another vessel. If the men did not put themselves into a position of this sort, which lessens the shock as much as possible, they would be thrown down and would be far more likely to be injured. Another point of value in the ram drill lies in the fact, as the executive officer observed, that It is one more thing done according to orders, and with a purpose. As such it strengthens the general morale. # A promiscuous tumbling, on the other hand, such as would ensue if the men tried to stand still during the collision, would certainly not have this effect. The ram drill is practiced on only a few ships of the navy.