Battleships in Action

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2105, 21 May 1898, Page 2

Battleships in Action

DisanssiNodhe modem; battleship , itu 'action, an American writer*, says— What is knownnf',battleships in notion* jis not enough; to - settle the question.. !No action.is-recorded between vessels* |of the type we are considering, Inearest was probably-the battle .of the? in; the? war between China;and; ! Japan,, which, was foughhin September,, 1,18941. The finest ship.of: the Chinese; ifibet was* the- popularly!rated as a. battleship,, but better.de'scribedj as. a; barbette ironclad, cruiserj ©funder 30OQ) tons,. The details oft" .that fighk suggest, that the-modem* ! battleship may Be as terrible a,menace-jto-its- friends- as *to its- foes.. The gun- ! ners-were deaf ened, dozed and' blinded.. .The commander,. Philo. M'GHffin,, American, had. the membranes-of both* ears split by tiie concussiomof. his.own.. guns, and received- many- other in* juries. Although a brave officer, h® succumbed to acute nervous-disease, and died insane about a; year ago., Old navy officers, who smelled.powder. in the terrific fights of our Civil War,-, Say that no crew can fight the modern; battleship without being disabled;. The ship itself is an elaborate plexus; of powerful and delioate machinery.. The crew must be a corps-of skilled* •mechanics to navigate the- vessel:im time of peace. The hull is a network ,of marvellous engines, dynamos, elec-, • trie firing,, lighting,, hydraulic,, and., steering apparatus, the slightest disarrangement Of which means disable? ment. The shocks of the ship’s own big guns are liable to. affect it. Their discharge, even, at target practice, has. .shown that they are dangerous to theiroperators. Broken, ear-drums and. ruptured blood-vessels in the lungs* and head are the results of neglecting; precautions which there is no time tQ> observe in battle*.