New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-02

Nearly every one knows that the grog' system
long ago abolished in Navy No man, either cadet
| or blue Jacket has any allowance Of grog and not
drop Of whisky or liquors brought on board except
| for medicinal purposes. some Of the blue jackets
sadly wish for their potdtions and there instances
recorded where they have gone tho extreme length
of taking dose Of castor oil IN order 10 get tho sw@
OF whsbcy In which this is sometimes poured before
| taking.
| All the time, except that in port the cadets arr
| busy learning much they can about the shp.
| They learn all that a seaman should know, the idea
being that when they graduated and become oil
they shall know how 10 do for Themselves every
thing II becomes their duty TO order others 10 do Inc
hardest thing for the cadet 10 understand is the steer
ing of the vessel, and he puzzles time over the
orders he receives while at the wheel before solving
| the riddle. In sailing vessels the wheel is aft AM
in steamlng vessels it is forward and tho ships
which the cadets cruise have both and use them al
tcrnaely Comparatively easy f. tho work OF getting
aion, after few trials have been made. 1t IS sur
prsng how readily the cadets master this part Of their
work seldom does any fall in fact. have
heard of but cases. that Of blue jacket. and
the other the sad accident to young sclcy, nephew
Of Captain Schcy, In the cruise Of 1856 Then tic
Elcn sent alof during heavy storm (by mistake
houghtlesncss, for they are never put TO this r
and while passing a companion the ropes, Schley
was blown of and lost and three seamcn were
| drowned In getting OF boat TO put out for him.
To readers of the average tale. the most inter
cstng part of work of the ship win be the watches
There are two, the saIboard and the port watches.
While in port there are four, known rs the anchor
Watches and one watch has every third night or.
The wndward IS the " rating side OF the ship. Tho
| captain always PAGES that side and watches the
cadets have that side, the bucja jackets the ecward.
asked cadet why this elaborate carefulncss should
he observed, and he know better than this
Tho windward sldo IS the side Of the ship from which
Tie wind blows that II the captains hat blow OF
as he pacing the deck II would not 90 overheard.
but would fall I'm reach Of one of tho sailors who could
pick It up for :" His Majesty; whereas II the wind
took the hat of of the men on the lceward, II
would go overheard and be lrretrevably lost There
Is philosophy about this simple arrangement that
should DO respected.
"The watches arc not altogether devoid Of fun
cadet friend told me. One night he said, :" as
at my post, l saw light and Immediately called
out: Light oh 'Whcre awayP asked and answered
the officer of the deck Three points abaft the BEAM
| cried back with considerable pride. The officer got
out his glasses, wiped them OF, and had them his
eyes I'm time to see the moon rise Very frequently
The report stars, but after a time they become
less grcon.'
ono Of the incidents that makes the watch thing
TO be remembered the ringing Of the bells-onc bell.
two bells, three bells, etc. every halfhour. with It's
accompanying call Of the at their different posts.
much after the manner Of the old-tlmc wachman a
he shouted ono o'clock, and all IS we'll The call
begins with the at the starboard cat-hcad WHO
calls out in a scntoran voice. "sialboard cathcad
Bright light" and tho song' goes down the watch.
with fits various voices ringing out I'm tho night from
different distances. The custom serves admirable
purpose that of keeping the watch awake. Sailors
also assist vekeiulness and Impair digestion by caiu-
hard tack, which they surrcptOusly obtain from the
etc.
ADJp fora q. ff-
there first the hops. From tho first of October
until Thanksgiving the men have stag hops every
Saturday night and then begin tho regular hops
There IS one Thanksgiving, another between then
and Christmas, and others or Christmas Eve. New
Years Eve, I'm the middle Of January, with the semi
annual hop at the end Of that month and the annual
hop in June. The officers hops alternate with these
All cadets good dancers, and all ladies' who dance
with them find that they Obliged TO be- too. The
striking feature Of the hop IS not much the picture
presented in the ballroom which IS brilliant enough.
that presented at the close OF the dancing. The
hops begin at and close at 10, IL L.. When
ever they close the cadets must be I'm bed twenty
minutes aftcrwar They not allowed, unless
they are frst-classmen, to 20 into town with thc
ladies, but must part with them at the gate. They
know that I'm twenty minutes they must be IN bed
but they lnecr in conversation fun fifteen Of those
twenty precious moments. Then the preparatory ben
rings. and there is hRsy scampcr across the gouuds
catter upstairs and rush into bed, sometimes with
out the iornslty OF getting clothing OIL One man
Invariably jumped into bed with his clothes on and
always missed detection until night he got 10
take of his hat
Besides their hops tho boys have breathing spells
Wednesdays and Saturdays. on the latter DAYS
certain Of them allowed 10 stay out TN gun-frr
at 8 80 p There three grades. according to
standing In study. Tho first grade have from
I'LL every Saturday, while IT is the first class
Of this grade who stay I'll go: the second
grade men have these recreation hours every other
Saturday, and the third conduct grade have sat
uIday in four. There besides regular hours for
recreation every day The FIST and second class men
81 the first grade also have Few hours Sunday enoe
noon
Then the cadets have la ,ebal and football games
with teams from Washln g;On. the Va ginla Military
College. Johns Hopkins. and elsewhere with once in
long while visit nom Princeton. The academy
men do good work. considering that they have only
hour Wednesdays and two hours On saturdays
In which to practice, and must DO their regular work
Just before Men from the military colleges they
view wish ply. such men. lf the s"hObl Is non
aud respected accordingly. Besides all these sports
III" cadets have tennis coufis, and they sometimes
engage IN card playing without th hnoW c g OF
sent OF the inspectors. Indeed. for months the best
Joke the academy siudents hsd the story OF the
unbOunded elatiOn Of New York cadet 'Vho had
played poker for the fist time. and came dancing up
10 his roommate with his Wreathed fin smiles
-. a.4x Hl.. -. l.. ~.