The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-08
SEA TERMS.

lDuB, port DuCkleIb ueIlVe Jneu name from the
buckIers of knights which were formerly ar
ranged along the sides of the ships in which they
embarked; and the term yardarm is derived from
the exiremlties OF the yards having, in the olden
time, been armed with ron hooks. Gunwale is
from gun-wall; bowspri. from bolt-sprlt; comb
ings from comings; kevel from revel; and davit
from David. Captain Thomas James, who made
voyage to Hudson Bay in 1881, speaks of over
looking his tacks and shoots with other rigging
of stress. He also says he hoisted his antient,
that is ensign, on the poop; and the Kings
colors, that is standard, at the nam on holi.
day. The word hurricane seems to have been Of
Carib or Indian origin, for Captain Fernando de
Porido, in work on the Indies, addressed to
Charles V, says, $50, also, when the Devil
wishes to terrlfy them (the Indians) he promises
them the 'huracan,' which means tempest"
IyphoOn is, undoubtedly, Chinese. The Chinese
have temples dedicated to the Tyion the god of
which they call Ker-woo, the "typhoon mother, 4"
in alusion to its producing gale from every
point OF the compass, and this mother gale with
her numerous offspring, or union of gales, from
the iour quarters of heaven. makes coniointly
ioef1cng or tllphooR.
The cIigin of the term midshipman was as
tollows:-The larger class OF vessels of he old
build had immensely high forecastles, quarter
decks and round houses, but no gangways as
now. There was, therefore, no means of going
IRON the quarterback to the forecastle without
descending into the waist; hence messengers
were necessary in order to save the captain and
officer OF the watch from the necessity of ever
deseTting their stations. These messengers took
the orders from the officer on the quarterback,
and carried them to the forecastle, and likewise
brought the various reports from the officer
stationed forward to those IN command abaft
Thence from their station, these messengers
were called "midship-men.n 1t was from this
class, and that OF quartermasters, that the mas
ters' mates were generally taken, as the contact
into which they were generally thrown with
their superior officers led to this distinction
when their conduct was meritorious. The pro-
motions from the class of midshipmen were
much more numerous than from among the
quartermasters; the former being necessarily
selected from active young men, while the lat
ter were taken from the thoroughbred old tars.
The patronage invested in the captains of ships
of war gradually led to the introduction into
these stations OF young men of respectable fami-
lies, who might with a slight degree of interest
hope for speedy advancement.
Later, set OF youngsters were introduced
into the service by what was called a Kings
letter-these were called Kings letter boys, and
were but little relished by the rougher class OF
their associates, for having as they termed it,
'come in at the cabin windows instead of the
hawse-holes." The midshipmen at first messed
with the shiD's company having one or more
tables given them on the lower deck, according
to their number; they afterwards in some ves-
sells, had the head of one of the tiers given
them as mess-place, the quartermasters and
boatswains' mates having the other. Those
midshipmen or masters mates in whom the cap
tain or officers took an interest were occasion.
ally invited to their table. and, in process of
time, the custom became general.
The term grog, as is well known, was derived
from the rough ''grogram" coat, or cloak. in
which Admiral Edward Vernon, of the British
Navy, was accustomed to wals the deck in bad
weather Admiral Vernon, while in command
OF the West India station, and when extremely
popular, on account of his reduction of Porto
Bello in l7I2, with six men of war only, intro.
duced this mixture of rum and water. The new
beverage proved extremely popular and was
named, by the men, ''grog," in honor of the Ad-
mlral. A song, written on board the Burford,
Vernon's flagship, by pr. Troter, in l7Si, in
commeDdation of the origin of grog, has been
preserved. 1t ends as folows:-
The sacred robe which Vernon wore
Was drenched within the same
And hence his virtues guard our shore
,. And "grOg" derives its name.
AS the advent of grog was welcomed with
loVlal dltty, so its departure from our navy was
iaInented with melancholy music; as in the fol-
lowing Farewell to Grog which was rife Of
the time the use of this time-honored beverage
was 1orbldden by an act OF Congress:-
FAREWELL TO GRoa IN THE U. s. NAVY.
Wardroom Of the United States S. -. Time
August 81, 1862.
[O6cer Sinasl
On, messmates, pass the bottle round
Our time is short, remember;
For our grog mu st stop, and our spirits drop
On the first day of September.
Farewell Old Rye! tits q sad sad word
But, alas 1t must be spoken
Ihe ruby cup must be given up,
AND the demljohn be broken!
Yet memory oft win backward turn.
AND dwell with fOndness partial
On the days when gin was not sin,
nor cocktails brought courts martial.
Jacks happy days will soon be past
10 return again. Oh never!
rII .ney We raised his pay five cents day,
But stopped his erog forever
YJo Io<
man brace."l
All hands to splice the main brace call
For spice It now In sorrow,
FCr the esplrit-room key will be laid awav
toreyer on tomorrow.
The title "Post Captain" originated in the
British Navy in l747, when the rank of Cantain
was first defined Those captains who com com
manded "Post Ships" or what IN tbe Roval
navy are now called Grated Ships, took ra1k
d OF three years. standing, with army colonele'
and until the year 1924 the Nduu Ltsi described
them as Post Captains" The prefix HPostn
then disappeared, but without any order in
councu or warrant being issued, Commis-
slons have never been issued. either in the
Royal or the United States NAVY, to "PostS
captains. The term has been in use how
ever, IN our navy to designate captains |
commanding hlgates or large vessels over
commanders commanding vessels of smaller
SIZE, Who, IN ordinary conversation. are STYLED |
Eaptalns. Since the days of Van Tromp the |
Dutcn Admiral, the pennant has been the dis |
tingushing mark of shlps-of.war Commanded nv
an o1ncer under the rank of Commodore or |
Admiral. The pennant originated in the re-. |
sponse made by the English Admiral to Van
IrOmp's iEsolent disDIay of a broom OF bis y,,.t %