A U.S. Navy officer poses beside one of the ship's 6-inch rapid-fire deck guns, believed to be aboard the protected cruiser USS Columbia (C-12) in the early 1900s. His cuff stripes denote commissioned rank, while the substantial breech mechanism and recoil gear beside him illustrate the mixed secondary battery typical of American cruisers of the 'Old Navy' era, built to counter both surface raiders and torpedo craft. Project: 218611