TABOOED ON THE POWERFUL.
■ A WELL-GUARDED SECRET. :. Tabooed spots and topics are thickeft on the Powerful 'bhan was tho case whem she was last here. The engine-room may not now bo visited, nor are people aoy mitted to the ship when the crow are engaged at gun drill. Possibly not many know that there is a Navy secret of great importance, which each of His Majesty's sailors, is now entrusted with to some extent, and which has not yet been be-> trayed to any; extent, although it is four: years since it-was developed by fch* Japanese, and vras very probably acquired* by Britain from them. The only successful thief of this secret!so far ie.Ameriav whose navy wonnod it out somehow, forj it has been installed on "Uncle ships. ' . • .'■ , ~, '
Yesterday, when crowds were emarmihg-, over the Powerful, it was a little amusing to listen to honest, attentive "Jack, when asked in an .offhand, casual way, concerning the new mystery. ■ ' • "Wot! Tell yer abaowt fire s said one. "Not much, mister; that <raes» tionVnot elawss enough'for me. S'fang,I'm hoff. Tou'io dangerous, yon are." 'Tire control!" ejaculated another ia.'. better English, but not better determination, "that forbidden ground.: You must , know what's what,. you, must, or you wouldn't ask the question. Wβ don*fc give away secrets here." > . And so it. seems that the new system', of battle- is apparently safe, in honest "Jack's" keeping, bat; perhaps, even that is saying too much. What is moro. likely, is that/each ; bluejacket i» only a little pin or orank in.the general nve-controi-.machine. He knows a little bit of .it—the bit which comes . within, his gunnery routine—and only thegunnerj; lieutenant, other officers, range-findera, "spotters,", etc., know-the rest.. The importance of the secret, may be judged from the fact that the system po» sibly doubles' a-''ship's fighting power in battle. If known, it-would'be highly;, undesirable to publish it, and no new* paper in the Empire has yet done 60." ~
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Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 979, 21 November 1910, Page 4
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321TABOOED ON THE POWERFUL. Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 979, 21 November 1910, Page 4
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