Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-15
sENTENcED ID pEATH
SUMMER WORK OF CADETS.
How Vacation is Spent in the Naval
Academy-The Practice Cruise.

ANNAPOLIS. June 12.-The present
second class Of the naval cadets, the only
class now at the academy, is kept pretty
actively employed during the summer
months in practical exercises, such as
howitzer target practice, machine gun
target practice, mortar practice, steam
launch drills, boats under sails and with
oars, signaling, etc. -Four hours each
day are consumed in practical instruc-
ton at the steam engineering depart
ment, where the cadets make all kind Of
models, and turn out every description OF
machinery. Some of their prOduc-
tiOns are models Of neatness and good
workmanship, and the best samples OF
their work are retained as models for fu-
tUre classes to reproduce. As the name
Of each cadet is attached 10 the particu-
. lar piece OF machinery on which he has
worked, 1t is an easy matter to tell who
among the students shows The most apti-
tude for this branch OF study. The sam
pie work Of some of the cadets is so cley-
erly executed that it is difficult to distir-
guish IL from the originals in many cases.
They 90 at their work with a Will, and
the workshop is scene Of much hustle
and activity when they are around.
The annual practice cruise gives a
cadet an opportunity Of testing the bitter
U
a few become 'homesick'' as well as sea
sick' before they are many days on the
water. Some of them, however, those
who have already made several cruises,
have become accustomed to the hard
ships Of sea life, and are able to trough
it' as we'll as any cold salt" But there
are others who are almost continually on
the sick-list during the voyage, especially
| if the trip is rough, and these keep the
] oil
To give an idea of the duties of cadet
while on the practice cruise it may be
mentioned that he is expected to take the
place OF petty officer, seaman, ordinary
seaman and messenger boy, but he is not
required to scrub the decks-the ''bue
jackets" do that. A regular daily routine
is mapped out for the entire cruise. For
instance, the cadets of the first class are
divided into two parts and detailed alter
Dately week and week to perform the
duties Of midshipmen and petty officers.
Cadets detailed as midshipmen are in
three watches and perform the same duties
that would be required of them on cruis-
ing vessels of war. Cadets detailed as
mates of decks, holds or hull serve as such
for one week. Exercises at night quar-
ters take place once month, and if at sea
the guns are fired with blank cartridges
as soon as ready, but guns must not be
fired in port at night.
When the ship is in port where there is
navy yard the instructors are expected
to make frequent visits to the yard with
the first class Of cadets, and explain to
! them everything of interest. The first
class are required to keep journals, exact
| copies Of the ships log, and navigation
! books. The journals must contain de-
/ tailed reports OF visits to navyfyards and
other places Of professional interest, witt
! sketches of headlapds, harbOrs, etc. The
navigation books must contain all the
work of the cadets, and be indeXed daily
to show the work of the day. No leave-Of-
absence during the cruise is granted, ex-
cept in cases Of great emergency, and
when in port cadets may be granted leave
to 90 on shore in the afternoon and
evenings only. When at sea all hands
are hustled out Of their hammOcks at day
| light. At . O'clock a. m. the call is made
for idlers; at o'clock call for all hands,
pipe up all hammocks. The daily routine
includes pipe watch below to breakfast at
1880; breakfast is served at 8: a half hour
later the call is made to turn to and clean
all bright work; at S:45, sick call; 9, clear
up decks for inspection; $3.50, quarters tor
inspection and forenoon exercise; 1880,
pipe down, wash clothes, clear up decks ;
/ II M, pipe watch below to dinner; 1890,
pipe watch on deck to dinner: 1 D. m,
\ turn to clear up decks; .. afternoon in
structiOn; 4:30, clean up decks; >, below
to supper; $780, on deck to supper; 6, clear
up decks; half hour before sunset, evening
exercise; sunset, quarters for inspection
pipe down hammocks, station night look
! outs.