Daily Republican., 1881-06-27
ON A TRAINING SHIP.
A WilmingtOnian's Experience In
enc Naval Service.

1 -S'
Well here / am at Newport, r. I. at last
but why are you there you may ask
Why, on board the U. s. Man Of Wal
Portsmouth which is training ship IN
line of duty. The prime object of the
training system is to place in the naval
service, with the consent of their par
ents, good and desei wing boys who will
elevate its standard, and make the navy
more reliable as an arm OF the National
defence. The boys are enlisted as third
class boys, at the rate of nine dollars and
| fifty cents per month and one ration.
| While serving on a training ship, they
may, if deserving, be promoted to the
rating of second and first-class boys, at
the pay of ten and eleven dollars and
fifty cents per month, respectively and
on cruising ships will be entitled to
higher ratings at the discretion of their
commanding officers, as a reward of
proficiency and good conduct. They
are enlisted to serve during their minor
ity unless sooner discharged foP in
aptitude for the service, or for miscon-
duct. The school of instruction is
divided as follows: Department OF
seamanship which embraces practical
seamanship, sailmaking, the use Of the
diving apparatus, signals, boats to reef,
loose, furl, make, shorten, bend and un-
bend sails. Send the top gallant masts
on deck and the flying jib boom rugged
in, laying aloft and out in the yards ac'
cording to their stations-use of palm
and needle, working eyelet holes, ,roping
and turning in cringles. The gunnery
department. embraces the theory and
practice of gunnery, including the study
and exercise of tue howitzer, afioat and
ashore, the gatling gun and the lntan,
try. pistol and broadSide exercises and
the practical use of torpedoes. The de-
oartment of studies embraces reading,
writing, spelling, arithmetic, geogra.
ply, history and singing. Az the end
of each quarter, they are examined, and
should any Of them deserve a rating it
is given them. On Sunday june fifth,
President Garfield, Secretary Hunt and
Admiral Porter of the U. 5. Navy paid
us visit at Hampton Roads, Virginia
On Monday, June 9th, we made
preparation for sea, secured guns and
got underway, but wind being dead
ahead we We're compelled after making
one attempt to drop port anchor very
near the famous Rip RapS and laid at
anchor until 80 on Tuesday morning,
when we again got underway and beat
out of the Bay. The boys amused them.
selves with fishing and were rewarded
by catching a. great many blue hsf,
which was Il great treat and peasant
change from soup and bully. At Me-
ridian Cape Henry bore S. E. Il f. AT
9. 30 we fured royals and took in flying
jib; it was a splendid day. At $50
+. NJ, the crew was exercised IN reeilng
top sails. AT $50 we turned reels out
Of top-sails aud set them with royals
and top gallant sails, and changed our
course to n. Z. "a North. The night
passed gently, the ship speeding on
her way handsomely with nothing TO
disturb the sleepers, save the watches
and the occasional cry of lookonts sail
no. Wednesday morning opened pleas
ant, though cloudy, nothing in sight,
except the U. 5. Saratoga and her about
nine miles astern. Exercised the crew
this morning in Target exercises, having
the target hanging from end Offore-yard,
out of sight of land and a good breeze
from S. w. and S. T. & South. In the
evening a heavy thunder storm passed
over us, accompanied with much light
ming. The sea in the evening was very
rough and indicated n storm in store
for us. Thursday morning, June 9TH,
was overcast and very togsy. We
sighted bark on our lee heam heading
South East, latitude 800 North 81. In
afternoon strong breeze from East to
East by North, tackled ship on starboard
to tie Northward and headed North by
East half EaSt-gOt a CaSl Of iron-bot-
tom 81 iathoms. At go p NJ, it com
menced blowing gale from East by
North, with rough sea. We hauled up
mainsail, took i'll spanker and turled
miZZen tOp-SailS. 1t rained during the
entire night, everything not secured was
cast adrift and all hands walked at an
angle of at least forty-tive degrees. The
roar of the storm could be heard as the
line OF foam swept over the sea with IN
credible velocity, and seemed like
sheet of snow, We shipped some seas
through pocts, though everything
was batteDed down securely, and
got broke ont and set sjorm fore
stay sail All night the storm
ragged and the boys acted manfulIy,
standing at their posts and doing their
respective duties like old sailors, yet
you could ofte hear the remark, "l'll
not 90 10 sea anymore" OF course the
motion of the shIp-tossing and pitch
ing in chopped sea, caused IA great
deal of sea sickness. Friday morning,
it abateS some. We found we We're Ii
latitude $50 % 36' north, and longi-
tude 100 Al west. Very foggy, chop
ping sea, shook out reefs in t0ps:LilS and
courses, got another cast of lead, G2
Sathomg, ,ray sand with specks; a very
unpleasant day, passing showers, south
westers in demand. The gale in the
evening had almost subsidized, though a
leavy fog hung over the ocean, our dis
ance being seventy miles from shore.
The ocean can never be appreciated with
'uU witnessing it, even in repose there
$ grandeur, and although calm, even
classy, there is a long swell as if some
mighty power WIS heaving the mighty
mass beneath, lifting ship as if it was
,nly a plank. At night it is beautiful,
With the stars out throwing their luStre
,ver the spray as the ship rides each
ucceeding billow, and lying in your
hammock, you can hear the surge
'reak against the ships side with
jars, making the timbers
reak and crack as if they were only
ipe stems. On Saturday morning,
ine II, we were ploughing along nice
= although the sky was overcast and a
envy fog still hung over the ocean.
he storm had spent itself and the day
yas spent in drying clothes, books,
&C., that had become prey to the
rzter, and on Sunday morning, June
2, we sighted Port Judith light, bear Q
X N. n. w, We set starboard top i,
last and top gallant studding sails, |
e hauled down the fore staysail and {
ood into Newport harbor--shortened
sil and came too in Z fathoms water
ear Fort Adams. From the water !.
ewport presents pretty appearance, u
ne residences standing all along the IL
lOres. We are anchored now near q
IA N. .,rs' Island " hich is thOupht will u