, 1886-12-25
LIFE ON A TRAINING SHIP.
Educating sailors for tho United State

". .a.... ... - --- s... .".. ...
Educating sailors for tho United state.
Navy.
We happened to arrive at the training
ship Mt a very opportune moment. There
was to be a lecture on international law
in the wal college. which had brought
over many Interested listeners from New
port, and the weekly drill of all the boys
in the class vas taking place on the lawn
before the college building, while the
New Hampshire band, established be-
meath a spreading beech hard by, breathed
martial music for the performing regi-
ment. 1t was n fine fall morning, the
water blue and the sky cloudless, but the
air was chilly, and the few spectators in
carriages drew their wraps closely about
them, and now and then gave an invol-
untary shiver. To and fro over the green
sward tramped the boyish rank and file
in their white apparel. the sailor caps set
%jauntily Upon their close cropped hair
and the rifles carried over their shoulders
with careful precision, as they marched
by twos. by tours. by p~latoons, went
through the manual Of arms, and per-
formed all sorts of military evolutions.
To our unsophisticated>eye their move
ments We're marvels of grace and pre-
ciaion' anu we were iOt IL itt" SiitNtu u
hearione OF the trig young army ofhcers
who were looking on critically observe
that IL was very apparently the navy,
and not the army, represented there.
AT noon the drill was over, and the
troops filed through the armory, deposit
ing their guns as they went, and returned
to the ship, where dinner was presently
served. We followed them, climbing up
the plank gangway that led up the side
OF the ilull, ana found ourselves on the
uppermoSt deck OF the nve wluch the OLD
vessel boasts. FOR 1t has almost as many
stories as II New YORK apartment house.
Everything was US trim and neat a7
constant care and work could MAKE IL
II plankS III the hooring OF the deck
Were whlte as "hite c"uld pe' no speck
oil dust or art was anywhere 10 ne iouhu,
ana the exquisite ORDER "i naval man
agelnent pervade-i al. y sentry IN the
uniform oil The United states marine
corps ana white cotton soves tiiat didh |
lit walked up ana down before the cap
tam quarters ana various o~i1cerS, IN
braided fatigue jackets ana pecohiihS
caps, We're coming ana gong IN discharge
oil Their various du;ies- below. on the
second deck the DoNs were at diiliiei.
lhey sat at long iapie9, ROY" ai'er row.
diSpiaymg us COCA apie''es as any sci Oh
land lubbtrs could poaSi ana us TINS was
the occasion oil tht departure oil the com
missiry' II was beng celebrated by an uu-
usual ieis'' hach embryo 'ar i'iu u iaiIe
supply "i rohs. t'''keS' "l'" po,at'es'
wllte ana sweet ana Tor ues7ert d pul.ii
oil grapes a paper nag oil candy. d"'l-
cacies "ihch We're duly appreciated
lhey had not the sort OF MANNERS III
table that one looks inr III newport society,"
THESE gay young sailors 'or 'iielr hniN's
Went INTO their mouths WIN alarming
frequency anu 'heN ate WIN an eyer
ness ana rapihitt "hl'h Ion ana NIL
drei DOCKS OF etiquette ""uiu u,h"'''i''
severely bui theN We're wei ana s'r"hS
ana nearly una l"ii"iN' enl'seu tnei'
uiliier quhte US ii'el. rs II II hao pti'
served on ueira'e CHINA ana '',ei, "ih
goia '"rKs ana knives III me mos. e,'s,'l'
ana approves fashion, 'n nus oSch ''eS