A JAPANESE WARSHIP IN ACTION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 19

A JAPANESE WARSHIP IN ACTION.

IN THE STRESS AND HEAT OF BATTLE. The Japanese is undoubtedly a betrar seaman than the Russian, and is a very keen gunner (writes an ex-naval in an exchange). Promotion is uk>P2 eagerly contested in the Japanese navy than in any navy in the world. The Jap’s food at sea is entirely different to that of his brother on land, and is very similar in substance and quantity to that of our British Jack. He eats his beeif and bread, has his ration of grog, and drinks cocoa and coffee, with the hard biscuit for his morning breakfast. The rega nations for discipline are exactly the same as ours, and his leave on shore is spent much as our Jack spends his. He :s a very flue engineer and a splendid artificer, having for the most- part been trained, under Scotch engineers in the various ironworks and foundries in Kobe, Osaka, Nagasaki and other ports. CLEARING FOR ACTION. Let us now board a Japanese battleship clearing for action. All cabin fittings and woodwork have been landed. T'liereis no longer a cabin in the ship, and all superfluous gear has gone; a couple of shifts of clothes remain to each of, us, and there is not even a looking-glass to shave by. Never mind, we have the satisfaction of seeing the Admiral himself oil up in a hammock now, and he sits and lias liis plate on his' knees or cartridge case, at his meals. The boats are sent to the dockyard, and only a couple r&main, bar the steam picket boats, „nd these are filled with water and coven 1 with splinter-proof material. The decks are sanded and hoses are left running, to cope with and fire that arises through the enemy’s shell fire. Round the base of the funnel are piled sacks of coal. Over the batteries on either side are hung mantles of chain and rope. This protects the men working the guns from splinters. For the same purpose all the hammocks are also used and lashed round the conning towers. To conceal the weapons unprotected by armour are hung canvas sheets, drenched with alum, as a protection against fire. Lastly, all the hand ammunition hoists are seen to be ready. The idlers —as the cooks, stewards, bandsmen and servants are called are sent to fire and collision quarters, and the tick bay stewards and surgeons are all on the lower flats. Y\ arertight doors are closed, and the collision mats are out and ready.' The pumps for all deck noses are going, and ammunition depots are established in protected parts of the ship, handy to the guns for which they are intended. Each ship has been marked with a distinct band round her funnel, as this is more easily distinguishable in the stress of battle. The captain and navigating lieutenant are now in the-forward conning tower, the. commander is knocking about round all the guns, and the torpedo-lieu- _ tenant is looking to his tubes and the crews. Lastly, the magazines, are opened, for the enemy is now in sight. , NEARING THE ENEMY. With her consorts the ship is steaming in “line ahead inverted” (a form of follow

ray* leader)* 'Having the Admiral on brand we lead our fleet into battle, as did the Admirals of old. However, the Admiral can do no more,, for he has just held a court, consisting of all the captains, though he only imparts the gist of his attack, leaving the rest to them as individual commanders of ships. We are now within five miles of the enemy; the engines are eased down and sights are carefully taken. Every ship in all the navies in the world is more or less known to the officers of other fleets, and mental notes are made of her most vital parts; that is to say, her unprotected ends. Most of the larger guns open fire. Now you hear the hard smack of the 61b rangefinder, and in five seconds a, burst comes from the forward 12in. This is quickly followed by the 6in batteries on the starboard side. Our course is now altered 20 degrees to bring the port batteries to bear. As we come back with a touch of the wheel the 12in guns in the forward barbettes, 1 are bearing again. "A nit! A hit!” is the cry. “Where? Not fatal?” “No, only her forward funnel.” Now all the quick-firers would be shooting at any deck* structures apparent. Common shell is the order? and by concentration of fire every effort is made to effect a breach in the enemy's ship. IN THE HEAT OF THE EIGHT. In the fleet the tension has begun to be felt, and the temptation on individual chips to break from the line and engage an enemy is intense. Strained) eyes are turned towards the enemy, and now comes the moment that we pass. Hell is no word for it! Every gun is in action now; everyone is goin£ to do something towards reducing that marvel of engineers' genius to a wreck. Below thei engineers and men who fight with flames from the forced draught furnaces have never ai moment to stop to think of their uncanny position. The engines, especially the auxiliary pumps of the hydraulic tramway and loading gear, are a source of continual anxiety. Some’ are with hoses and syringes, squirting oil and water mixed on flying crossheads, and others! with oil cup® on smaller gear. The chief is controlling the throttle valve, and his' 1 eyes are glued on the register of revolutions. From the conning tower now comes an order. “Increase to 180.” A touch of the hand and we feel her move forward again a shade faster. Now a, three-pounder shell has 1 cut some connection with the after barbette; seme one must go np and see to it. Now an ash hoist is shot away, and through it all these men never see an adversary, or have the satisfaction of seeing a hit scored. Only after it is all over (if ever) do they know or see the effect of battle. '‘EVERYWHERE IS 1 WRECKAGE.” Now is a “via dolorosa” clearly marked to the after flats, where the surgeon nl his sick bay steward are busy. One sees a man, with ashy pale face overcome b.v lyddite and want of air in the turret. A:1 round you are limbs and wounded men trunks of carcases half torn asunder. The batteries are now working with diminished crews. Everywhere is wreckage, pumps and voice tubes are broken, the ammunition hoists are shot away, and the work has to be done by hand. Now there is a rush past of the fire crew to extinguish a fire aft. At last there is a cessation, as we have passed each other, and gives a hand with a stretcher. W© have lost our funnel, and the engine-room is all smoice and smuts, and down below is a sweating inferno of steam and heat. We are now again within 1800 yards, but the best gunners being shot or disabled, accuracy of fire has diminished. The fighting line has been replenished from the stokehole. Now the luck of tlie Whitehead torpedo must b© tried. We are 700 yards apart. A rapid . concentrated fire, and now for it. Is it a hit ? Yes, a hit. Up die rolls to port, and stays with a list, with a high starboard side to us. Now another help to eternity with our after 12in and she is a blaze of flame. With our crew decimated, and our mechanism damaged, and most of oar cop hamper gone, we are no longer the homogeneous fighting machine which went into action. Many of us remove the plugs from our ears, hut we are still deaif, ani may be for a week. We must now steam for our base, and in ten hours we are. back to Nagasaki, telling the tale of our victory, and mourning the loss of our hundred; shipmates.