New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-23
ON A WAR SHIP.
HALLELUJAH LAssEs DANCE ON DECK.
CAPTAIN REEDS PECOLIAR EFFORTS TO REFoRM
THE MINNESOTA END IN FAILURE.


THE MINNESOTA END IN FAILURE.
The detachment Of Captain A. V. Reed from
command Of the training Minnesota January IS
brought to end interesting experiment In the
moral reform OF the dashing Navy. Captain Reed had
come to the ship in December 1884, and finding rcig-
ious and temperance meetings In determined to
continue them alarge scale for the edhcaton OF tho
boys on board well the seasoned officers
He announced that thereafter the usual casron Navy
regulation against the use OF liquors would be
enforced All the spirits board to be in charge
Of the ships surgeon and sickness" unless genuine
would not be q satisfactory plea. Champagne bottles
had to be snugsled aboard in fruitcases hatboxes
and even beer had to be labelled "Scltzer" "Apo-
nars" to pas, muster in the mess-room. Some Of The
more daring lenenants said to kept sauterne
for table use in innocentlooking ylchysyphons. The
reform be not only In temperance religion
and morals. The chaplain set to work earnestly
Sundays and Wednesdays preaching and labor
ing against vino aud dice when his exho:Iations to
virtue seemed to pail the strident methods OF the
Salvation Army called in to reinforce them. Male
and female soldiers from the Twentyhrd Street Taber
nace raised their banners and voices weekly the deck
and in the ward-rOom OF the Minnesota For time at
tendance the part Of the officers and crew was
punctual and the and dances OF the Halleujah
Lasses" to the irreverent But life
on board gradually became a burden. Mapping on duty,
for instance, impossible Salvation Army even
ngs. One could no longer stroll deck In the moonlight
smoke cigar In peace. The player OF poker In tho
secuson which a cabin might be expected to grant
had his thoughts distracted at the unfortunate moment
when his opponent had drawn only cards and would
confidently meet his " raise" two pairs Even dice
tame amusement, when the din outside and above
loud enough the officers avow. to drown the rattlns
Of the little cubes on the pine table.
Three officers length asked leave to he assigned else
where hoping that the naval authorities would look into
the They detached. bnt that only made 1t
those left behind, who had doubled duties
A council Of called on a neigbboring pier,
where refreshments we're licensed and speech was
free. 1t was decided then to begin work the
ships chaplain. This gentleman Of the active
OF the reform. His talks the card
nal sins were, doubt praseworthy in their
those OF the old parson In Chaucers tales But they
tired Of the graceful leutenants much
the drsary monologue tried the patience of the
merry host OF the Tabard Shores and groans were
heard in the meetings Filings Of w.t. jests and sarcas
tic table employed to enlven the sombre
aspect OF things which the chaplain carried with him
into the mess-room. The reverend gentleman at last
took offence what he called the "oontinued seurr
es OF his companions and asked leave In July to take
ashore Soon after he detached for other
duties and the captain heneeforth was obliged TO de-
pend the Salvation Array alone. In the meantime
the officers had been making frequent complaints TO the
Navy Department at WashiE gou rhe captains eoored
steward hal been discharged for negeetnx his dutes
probably under the seiuctons OF too much tamborine.
beating and religious feryor Hs case was forwarded
so timed as to drop IN on the Department about once
week a1d the authorities there are said to have charac-
terzed the whole business with numoer obj Ds
Commander 5chley was sent on as COMMITTEES OF one
to Investigate the thing He slipped down to the Mime
sofa morning at ii o'clock ~ eitizens clothing
Everything was not as tidy and sweet-smelling as t
might have been. The Investigation over In an hour
or tHO The stale bge water in the hold had been filed
with lime to kill the odor. and looked IKE mass OF
dirty a.hes spread out tue floor. On his return to
Washington he Teported the condition OF tho ship as
filthy" He also discovered that the notary's fec
charged for enlisting apprentices was 81 while an
orler ssued by the Department IN 1852 had
reduced IL to 25 cents The Minnesota was
then a gunnery ship and not training
ship and no one board Of heard OF the order
since Captain Reed went to Washington about Decem
Der D. While he still there a rumor came to the
Brooklyn Navy Yard that he ha been detached 60 await
smie. Thcy shook hands with another aud collect
lively ordered hamper two Ot champagne TIs they
stored ice aud awaited Developments. The captains
secretary telegraphed 10 MashngtOn Dnt DIS
chief had heard nothing OF the order Secretary Whit
ney New-IOrS The ruipOr must nave been false.
The Temperance cause again lll,ed It's head and
the champagne remained In the refrigerator.
The ORDER Of detachment came next day Acting secre-
tary Harmony had started II all rignt, but its delivery
had been delayed. The champagne was got ~ read
again. The salvation Army services Tor " ednes-
day osponed aud affairs we're looking again -
they did ia the hacyon days before reform Invaded the
The captain could not move out. however in the two
days left him. He obtained respite until January ID.
Last week Commander Kane arrived 70 pnt the snip.
gave him a reception in the cabin cf the Minnesota
The lOng-coD cealed and hghlycongealed c: c:smpagne
brought to sght and the glasses cnSed triumphant
Captain Reed the side OF the vessel The
Salvation Army has also retired with its tinhling
balls and sOnOrUus bass drum 10 the uptown tabernacle
Captain Reed insists that his detachment was due 10
Official fayOriism and that his Efforts 10 reform tho
Navy will stll be successful Secretary Whi;neys de-
cson may have to reversed by President Cleyeland,
and till then the question ot acohwater fohcy IN te
Brooklyn Navy Yard will not be authori,atively settled