The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-03-04
LIFE IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

~ " E4AoA N1soA AtSAo oA0 SeN-
'jeeted-systematic GENERALIZATION.
In order to understand a man-of-war IL
s primarily necessary to consider her as
formed of many parts, all arranged to-
zether under the predominant law of
,ubordination. Thus one may speak cor
rectly of the captain and officers, or OF
The seamen and marines of a man-of-
war. But all such broad divisions re-
1uire to be subdirided, and in reality the
whole body is made up Of small parts,
each of which resembles the other, as far
as the principles on which it acts are con-
,erned, and each of which, though with
functions of its own, is related to all the
other parts. Taking the crew, for ex-
ample-the men, as they are called,
when spoken Of as distinct from the Of
6cers-we find them divided by grades
not less important than those which di-
vide the officers themselves. There arc
able bodied seamen and ordinary sea-
men. The able seaman is finished
sailor, not only able to do all the usual
work, below and aloft, but to take the
helm and the lead. The ordinary sea-
man is a less qualified man, receiving less
pay, but:will probably rise from that to
the higher rating by and BY.
But Il the mere term seaman" would
imperfectly describe one of the men, so
the mere term officer would equally i'm
perfectly describe one of the officers.
Not only are there the officers proper,
from captain to naval cadet; there are
different classes below these. There are
the warrant officers, boatswain, gunner
and carpenter, and the petty officers,
uuartermaster, boatswain's mate, master
at arms, etc, These, however, are not
all the grades in the scheme. There is
captain to each top, coxswain to each
boat, captain Of the forward, captain
of the after guard. Subordination, there
fore, interpenetrates the whole body
social of a man Of war; it does not only
act broadly, but minutely; nor generally
only, but in detail. Subordination and
classification are, in fact, the two great
principles which regulate everything
afloat. Subordination teaches a man
that he must obey-and whom. Classifi-
cation teaches him how he must obey
and where. The corner stone Of naval
subordination, then, is the authority OF
the captain. He commands the ship,
even though there should be a rear
admiral on board in command Of the
fleet. .......
Though essentially a living unity,
coherent individual whole, yet a man-of-
war ,attains to be this by dint Of care
full division and adjustment Of parts.
Her crew is classified in several distinct
ways, according to the different classes
of duty that develops upon them in diff
ferent parts of the ships daily life. Thus
ship has to be sailed. For that purpose
her crew are divided and appointed tc
particular stations where they go when
nautical operations. are on hand. There
are forecastlemen, foretopmen, maiRtop'
men, and an afterguard which works on
deck and does not 60 aloft. Each of these
sets of men has its captain and second
captain; each top its midshipman, and at
the summons, Hands reef topsails," OF
what not, everybody knows where to be-
take himself and where his work is.
Again, man-of-war has to be fought.
For that purpose her crew are divided
and appointed to particular stations at
quarters" There are the forward main
deck quarters, and after upperdeck quar-.
ters; forward upperdeck quarters,
after maindeck quarters and so on.
Each man belong to a particu-
lar division and a particular gun
in the division and particular number
in the gun; so when the drum and fife
call him to quarters he knows just as
we'll where to 60 as he. knew where to 80
when. the boatswain's pipe called him to
make or shorten sail.
Once more. a ship has social as well
as naval or military life, and men eat,
drink and sleep there, as in village OF
barrack. Accordingly, the men are
divided into messes-each mess having
its own table at certain place on the
lower deck, and one member Of the mess
being cook, and going for its share OF
provisions to the galley each day. So,'
too, every man has his bag for his clothes
and his hammock to sleep in, and has
prescribed hours and places for the use
of both. And since ship, as a whole,
never sleeps, there being no such conf
plete suspension of life possible in a ship
as in country mansion, all the officers
are divided into three watches, and all
the crew into two. The public opinion
Of a man-of-war is as definitely known
and felt as that of town. The men
have their favorite officers and their I'M
popular otficers-just as the officers them
selves give certain well understood
status to each of their own body, and
have tendency to split their messes into
cliques, according to taste and incina-
tion.-Brooklyn Eagle.
tto nj, of Sfze.