Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-09-28
correspondence of the Baltimore Sum
HAMPTON ROADS, Sept. 1G

HAMPTON ROADS, Sept. 16, 1883.
ATrirdL of the z. s. Practice Ship Pre6Le-AccOunt
Of the Cruise-Bene1its0f the Systene-Eaperiance
Of the -nidshipmen, dc.
The practice ship Prcble, attached to the Naval
Academy at Annapolis, and commanded by Comman-
der T. Z. Craven U. S. N. having more anchor
ed in the waters of the United States from her prac
tice cruise with 80 acting midshipmen, propose to
give your readers small schedule of that cruise and
the duty she has performed to the instruction of
the Young men placed board of her for practice
in all the duties that may hereafter be required of
them they pass through the several grades of their
profession.
We sailed from the Chesapeake on the 3Oth of
June with fine westerly breeze which soon waited
from the land, and ere the rose next morning,
we had but the blue above and the blue below, "
to fix our gaze upon AS the breeze fine
and the motion of the ship lively, those who were
uninitiated to the sea, and had not formed &C
quaintance with old Neptune, soon began to pay
their obedience to him, and many were the wishes
for the comforts of home made by the youngsters !;
but the effects of the sickness off, they
began to realize the grandeur and novelty of the
mighty ocean, the sphere of their future usefulness
anu called upon to begin their exercises in
making and taking in air, reefng frling, steering,
working ship, navigation and, indeed in everything
belonging to the duties of seafaring life; and at
this practice they have been kept during the whole
cruise, until, at this period, most of them per-
form practically, with credit to themselves and to
their instructors all the various duties of officer and
sailor and my own impression is that more is to be
learned practically, during one of these practice
cruises than ever was learned by any mldShlpman
during three years cruise on board of any ordinary
ship of war; where he is not called upon personally
to perform the different duties of the sailor.
Too much praise cannot be accorded Comman-
der Craven Lieuts. Tighman and Marcy, and sailing
master Buckner for the interest and care they have
uniformly shown to the advancement of these young
men.
What seemed to go hardest with these young men
was their bill of fare for they had to live off of
the ships allowance of salt beef pork, &c, which
was not altogether as palatabe most of them had
been accustomed to ere they left their homes.
On the 4th of July, though several hundred miles
from land flung to the breeze the glorious stars
and stripes, and woke the silence of the old ocean
with the looming of our 80 Founders, in honor of
nations birth.
On the next day gloom was cast over our ship
by the sudden demise of young Mr.. Marcy, of
the Hon. Secretary of State who suffering from
consumption, and who embarked with for the
benefit of his health. His remains preserved
and left at the Island of Fayall to be sent to the
United States
During the cruise of the Preble she visited the
Island of Faya the City of Corunna north of Spain,
and noted as the place where Sir John Moore is bu-
we found much distress among the poorer class of
people, from entire failure of the grapes, dried
and withered up from unknown cause. This
has been the second year that this blight has visited
the island.
The Preble will soon proceed to Annapolis, where
she will remain during the session Of the academy,
for the purpose of practcing the students prior to
another practcecruise. Hoping these few lines may
be gratifying to many of your readers who are in
terested in the welfare of the Naval Academy, re-
main yours, &c, FOhEIOF.