Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-22
ON THE WAY TO PARIS.
The Trip of the Portsmouth.
Correspondence Of The Stdr.l

OF crossing the Atlantic in a naval vessel in
preference to the customary ocean steamer.
mad long had desire to look into the inner
workings Of our navy the outside of which,
with its glittering show and exclusive dignity.
Washlngtonians are so familiar with. had
watched the little ducks ashore and wanted to
see them at sea.
The Portsmouth, Commander F. V. McNair
was 10 be my home for three weeks. You re
the middle Of February, f from San San Francisco RAJ
making the trip around the Horn in III days
remarkably good time for a sailing vessel. Be-
ed to proceed to New York and carry our
goods from there to the French Exposition
Before leaving Washington twelve of her
guns were removed, leaving two howitzers as
! mouth is not without either fighting
or sailing reputation. 1t was in 1856, when
! commanded by Admiral, then Commander
Foote, the naval temperance reformer, in
company with the Levant, she stormed and
captured the Barrier forts at the mouth of the
seging Canton, and the Chinese, without pro
vocation, turned their guns on the boats from
our GU, vessels Satisfaction not being given,
was present at the fight is now on board the
Portsmouth as quartermaSter. She has rep
utation among naval circles for good luck IN
meeting with favorable winds, and making,
| consequently. quick trips.
She is third-rate vessel OF 800 tons burthen;
q three decker: having spar gun and berth
Wy IN Inv hloO ptlllS lCCcuJ dtiultlOll OI H.
or course, all the mannuVering and handling
OF the vessel are done. The gun deck, forward,
ls0ccupled by the crew, aft by the captains
cabin and the rooms of the executive officer
| and navigator, and the intermediate space by
| Tie Officers Tor Willing away the time by
smoking, reading. &c. This latter space was
| valuable exhibit, which was carefully slowed
| there; On the berth deck are the ward room,
tOr the watch otiicers) seerage for midshiD-
| men, warrant officers rooms, the diSpenSary,
| the SICK bay, quarters for the Marines &c.
was assigned to the Steerage, but slept in
Swinging cot outside in the "country." II
| place in the ship, but being removed during
! the day, it was rather inconvenient when mot
feeling very Well.
Well, We started from the Brooklyn navy
yard on the 10Th of March, Just at sunset, at
| the same time with the Wyoming. bound for
the same pOrt-Hayre. When passing the I.
Iuted with three rousing cheers from the
Portsmouth, which were returned. The rig
elng OF both vessels was alive with men Wav
ing their hats The sight was a novel and i'll
teresting one to me. As we .glided down the
bay that beautiful moonlight evening every
body on board seemed in good spirits, in
| evils of the morrow. In the morning found
| that the little pitch of the vessel was not un-
| pleasant, and my hopes rose. went to break
fast with liTst-clasS appetite-for a few min
utes Yes, was sick, but in reality for only
| one day, though for the two succeeding days
| had little faith in victualS. / was not with
| bul tUilpduN. Ht crew was largely composed
OF apprentice boys, many Of them on their
| flrSt cruise.
THE MARINES NOT JOLLY.
And those poor marines. how changed that
Solderly appearance and maTtialtread Us they
followed the inc band up Pennsylvania
| avenue. marine is always stationed in Ger
| tain parts Of naval vessel, such as guard to
the water, and sentinel at the captain door.
They We're placed on duty before they had
| gained their sea-lcgS and the effort of the
captains sentry to maintain a solder-like
! equilibrium was very amusing. Directly i'll
nont was the hatch, opening into the ward
| ed opening, but at every unexpected lurch Of
the ship would instinctiyely throw out his
hands and catch at anything, yet Try hard not
To. / have watched him Wabble for hours
| when his efforts were almost as ludcrOuS as if
| he had been preciptated into the ward room
mess. / never saw him go more than one leg
| dnWn the hatch: then he would carefully draw
| himself together. SOldier-like, without muir
mur, but with an expression that said as plain
as words: Saved again, thank Heaven"
was taken into the Steerage by the mid
shlpmen as one OF them, and never ceased to
congratulate myself upon having escaped the
wardroom, where rank seemed the passport
| to SOciability. and the man was Judged by his
| epauletteS. Understand me- No one can be
more courteous than a naval lieutenant on the
| portsmouth, but his rank seems barrier to
ANYTHING more than common civiity from a
common citizen. l think, however, that the
wardrOom of the Portsmouth should not be
taken as standard of our navy, for don't
believe that it is a separate world in itself, as
is generally supposed, at least at sea The
manner in which was treated by the captain
and all the officers below the rank of leuten-
ant disproves the supposition, and l don't
believe that all lieutenants are alike.
Captain McNeir, although, recognized as
vice, has the happy faculty of throwing aside
III his cabin the stern dignity OF commander,
and proves himself there a social and ex
manifested in the care of the valuable cargo
entrusted to his chargeis very praiseworthy.
In the ward room of the Portsmouth were
| hVe naval lleutenantS, one master, one ensign,
| one lieutenant of marine, with sword and uni
| form, and surgeon; all but the latter two
| took regular turn as officer of the deck In
| the Steerage were an ensign, four midShip-
| men. an assistant surgeon, paymaSter'S clerk,
and myself, and a jolly good time we had.
| DISCIPLINE ON BOARD MANOF-WAR.
| The crew numbered about ninety, exclusive
OF detachment OF marines. The many
nOvices in it interfered somewhat with the
| usual clOckWOrk of a man-Of-War. Yet they
had to learn their duties, and that rapidly.
There was no fire on board except at the
| galley where all the ships cooking was done.
| and the cold and wet weather Of the first week
| was very disagreeable. The pleasant weather
which followed was all the more enjoyable,
| however
The rules and regulations OF a man-Ofwar
were maintained as far as practicable. Every
mo9ng he at nne ephdx 9coeK st Jns drum peat to
upper deck for roll-call and INSPECTION, and
when the weather permitted a drill
| viii Slndu dIlllS, plStOlS anu SlnSle SUCKS
| followed. a hOwitZer battalion having
been formed. On Sunday mornings the
men appeared at quarters in their shore
| clothes, with everything neat and clean. A
| regular man-Of-War'S man is always both
| Alter thorough inspection the captain and eX-
| ecutive officer would carefully examine every
| part of the vessel. For the sake of practice,
| an alarm of fire would occasionally be
sounded. Instantly every man would attend
to his assigned duty. The matches would be
| covered with tarpaulins to smother the fire
| the hose brought out. men appear with axes
and patent fire extingulshers, and finally pre-,
| paratiOns would be made for lowering the
| boats and abandoning the ship at moments
| notice. Strict discipline was always main
| tanned, and the least careleSSneSS was followed
by punishment. Anything, particularly cloth
ing, found out of place, was put in what
| is known as the lucky bag Once a
! week the bag was, opened before the
crew. Goods worth redeeming were
| claimed by the owner, who were put on
| the black list" and were generally given
| extra duty below for certain length of time
| Unclaimed articles were either thrown over
| beard or sold at auction, the proceeds of the
| sale going to the cooks ''Slush' fund. The
| practice OF sending men to the mast was an
every day occurrence. Every morning after
| quarters the captain held little court at the
| n ainmast on the gun deck. When those men
on the black list We're brought forward state
| ments of their respective eases We're made
and punishment more or less severe ordered
by the captain. In this manner only can the