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National Geographic : 1925 Oct
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COLLARIN' CAPE COD Official Photograph, U. S. Navy BECLOUDING THE ISSUE Destroyers are useful not only as convoy and patrol boats, but also play an important role in actual "battle-fleet" engagements. There they launch their torpedoes at the larger ships of the line and dart away under cover of a smoke screen. Notice the scout planes flying above the smoke and thus enabling their fleet to see beyond the dense screen put up by the destroyers. The Captain nodded. "Hall! Get Reilly to help you." I reached the forecastle, Reilly faith fully at my heels. In a trice the port an chor was over, and as the strain was taken off the dragging starboard anchor, the port anchor seemed to grip and hold at the 30-fathom mark. The ship swung off on its new lead of anchor chain, and as this happened I eased the port chain slowly out of the hawsepipe. Desperately we clung on, as the bow was pitched high, vibrating the chains till they sang taut, and then crashed down. As the strain took on both chains, the forecastle dug into the huge waves, carry ing us under. The tearing force of the green water wrenched and twisted our arms. After what seemed to be an eter nity, we again drew in free air. "Better get out of here, Mr. Hall!" Reilly sang out, choking and sputtering. Choosing our moment, we dashed aft, holding grimly to the lee lifeline. Abaft the break of the forecastle we stopped for breath. Farther aft, the men not on watch were standing ready in life jackets around the big life rafts. On the fantail, Steam was heaving a hand-lead; the water had be come too shallow to bother with the sounding machine. Calmly, methodically, as if it were merely a drill, he dropped the lead over the side, plumbing the depth and noting the mark in his hand by a flickering lantern held by a scared youth. The result was transmitted to the bridge by voice tube. GETTING TIHE LIFE-GIVING OIL TO FLOW Down below, in the steaming fireroom, men splashed with fuel oil were fighting to get the life-giving oil to the boilers. The feeble light of the auxiliary lamps 457
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