THE TERRORS OF NAVAL WARFARE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7, 9 January 1905, Page 2

THE TERRORS OF NAVAL WARFARE.

WARFARE. Some idea of the terrible experiences of modern naval warfare, are given by a naval suTgeon, who thus discusses the effect of big gun firing upon the men who engage in it on battleships: In modern battleships the gun is inside a barbette, turret, or casement, and in that way is housed in all around. In other ships there are guns mounted on the upper deck and not surrounded by Ft eel walls. It is a very moot point whether the men serving the gun inside the casement or those working on the upper deck battery suffer most from the j effect of the firing, for there aro two! distinct factors to be taken into account —1. The effect of the explosion at the muzzle of the gun, commonly known as the "blast; , 2. A violent shaking in the breech of the gun a.t the seat of ignition of the explosive, which shock is transmitted from the gun to the walls and roof of the casements, and thence to the bones of the head, ear, etc. It is enough to remark, however, that they are so distributed that they would probably not damage the drum of the ear. although they do produce distinct concussions of the skull, spinal column and the larger joints, and give rise to headache, tongue-bites, and general shock. The "'blast" is the form of concussion which has far-reaching consequences upon those who come within its radius of disturbance, and it is only necessary to be on a level with the muzzle —on either side—and within a given distance to experience, its unpleasantness; to be in advance of this plane intensifies the shock, and to stand over or be on one side of and in advance of the firing point causes rao?t painful symptoms. Examples of this are seen in the case of men standing close to any opening in the ships side in the vicinity of the explosion, such as an open port, when the membrane-of the ear can be easily ruptured. Doors are wrenched from their binges and iron stanchions bent. Barbettes and turrets have sighting bcods, consisting of armoured citadels, from which gun-fire is directed, and having a lifting roof so as to form a plot for taking observations—this in a line with the face. Much suffering may be experienced, while inside one of they* or in a casement, especially where a big gun i« fired from aft, forward, or vice, versa, close to the ship's side and in her length. The occupant suffers at first a feeling of much shock, while cotton wool has been torn out of both ears. Officers who have been subjected to this saythat in addition to the violent shaking there is a feeling of great depression at the pit of tbc stomach, followed by a tendency to be sick. The surgeon offers the following explanation of the severe effect on the men of the blast concussion: If is probable that, while the missile is passing and practically certain that when the air is forcibly displaced by it and by the gases which impel it. a severe compression of the body surface takes place, tbe abdomen offering less resistance than does the chest with its ca»e in the form of ribs. ° A partial vaenum succeeds durinw an almost imperceptible period, and°the effect produced must be one of suction! Briefly, the effect, at first is one of corupressiou, and secondly one of suction Modem guns tend to greater lencih than the older armament, and it will be obvious that for those men who are working at the rear of the gun the "Wast- will have less disturbing effects. Speaking generally, all ships' giins are fired at low levels, and there the air density is greatest and tbe intensity of air vibration is relatively increased accordingly. The actual shock or vibration which )S transmitted to the gun and its mounting at the moment of firing is not so great, afloat as it would be on shore because of the resiliency which the water lends to the platform from which the gun is fired.