St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-07-13
LIFE ON A MAN-OF-WAR.
Daily Routine Of Duty Upon . Yan,
kee War Ship.
Discipline and Order the Gospel 01 the
Navy-RemaPkable Extent to which
the Observance of Ceremony 10
Carried-Every Act Fer
formed by Ralo.


that United States man-Of-war is or
dered into commission pennant is run
uu to the masthead, and this bit of
bunting never comes down until the
vessel is temporarily or permanently
retired from active service. So long
as the pcnnant flies the quarterback
must be patroled by an officer in uni
form. This vigilance is never relaxed
night or day, whether the ship is sail
ing hostile waters in war time or tied
TO a navy yard wharf in q period OF
obsolute peace. For :wenty-f0ur years
the United States have been at peace
with themselves and all the world, yet
In all that time there has not beeh an
instant. night or day. when the officer
Of the deck has not kept watch on every
ship in commission. Discipline. order.
precedence. cleanliness are the gospel
Of the United States men-of-war.
Here lies q ship in commission.
moored at a navy-yard wharf. Stop
on board and see how all is done. An
orderly halts you. learns your business
and permits you to pass the gang-plank.
II is nine o'clock in the morning. The
fires in the cooks galley have been
lighted since 2:30. and 1t is nearly four
hours since the drum and fife sounded
the reveille that brought all hands on
deck. At this sound the seamen awake.
dress. lash up their hammocks and
mako ready for bread and coffee.
Then, after a short season of smok-
ing. the men turn to" and wash down
the decks. All is done at the boat
swain's whistle. Two hundred stout
seamen with hose and what can not
make ships deck very clean. but. for
. time. extremely uncomfortable.
While this operation goes on the i'm
perturbable officer of the deck, in rub
Der boots. or. shocking to say. some
times in bare feet keeps up his
ceaseless tramp. At 7:SO the 50 ue
gees. long-handed boards with rub
Der strips on the lower edge.
are applied to the decks and the water
disappears. At eight o'clock the sea-
men have their breakfast Of oatmeal.
sausage and coffee. or perhaps of
hominy, canned meat and chocolate.
Jack is very we'll fed and the witticism
that lone mans canned meat is an
other mans poison" inspired BY the
horrors of the British commissariat in
the Crimes. has not been applied to the
food Of the United States man-of-war's
man. At this hour the colors are
hoisted; that is, if it be q week day the
United States flag is sent up to the
gaff. or il it be Sunday or holiday the
Union Jack is displayed at the bow.
At $50 the men have finished break
fast, and at 9:l5 they are ready for
work. At this hour the '.sick CALI
sounds and those who are unwell visit
the surgeon in the .'sick bay" or ships
hospital. . tiny space well up in the
eye of the ship.
BY this time the uniform of the
day" has been announced to the OH
GERS. II may be any one of half .
dozen outfits. and there is disposition
to accuse the powers that be of order
ing white duck on cold days in tho
north and blue cloth in the tropics.
The Captain decides upon tho Uniform
OF the day unless his ship be in the
presence Of an Admiral, In which case
the uniform is signaled from the nag
ship to all the other vessels living in
the same port
Odd stories are told to illustrate the
rgidity of discipline in the matter of
dress. Should an officer present him
self above the gangplank clad with
the slightest deviation from the uni
form Of the day he would be instantly
ordered below by the officer of the
deck. The wrong hat. the wrong tie
or a single button out of place would
procure this reprimand.
At 9:15 the decks are cleared for
quarters" and at $50 the call is
sounded for that interesting perform
ance. Quarters is simply the as
sembling of all on board 1t their
proper posts. When the sound to
quarters is heard there is scurryinR
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