Telegram-herald., 1889-05-09
TOLD OF THE MARINES.
Important Though Much Abused
Factor IN . Navy.
the far's FEslsaies Asasast the Nay.
fottesssa the Ad1lEal asa
tARtrtas, Hs~sssF. Praise
tks Marines.


There Is, perhaps. no cody q mea Ia
Ehs service Of the United States govern
msnt who have come II for q greater
snare OF coatumeiv aad received lssss
praise for actual service rendered than
have t1s marines Of the United States
Rasy. From time inmemoriI IL has
been Jacks saying IN response ~ al /
doubtful stories. Tel that % the ma
Fines.- for the tars as a st are the most
iacTedalous fellows. and the hearty coa-
teIupg ia which they hold the marines
Is sufficisHt 10 incite the firing Of a voiley
Of epithSts 1t the latter On the slightest
PFOyocation
lt Is amusing. too. 10 see with what
ayidity the young apprentices seize hold
OF the prejadices Of the able ssaElefi. aud
a person oniy need go aboard one OF the
cruising training ships 10 hear the young
sters eawi out with all the zest OF an old
shell back. "ohl you IIottentot marineF
The duty of marine aboard ship Is
essentially that of policeman, and by
reason OF this very duty no fraterniZing
can 10 safely permitted between "the
guard" and the men forward. As 10 the
tar. any one acquainted with his devil
ms-care spirit and wild. fun loving nat
ure must know how he looks upon any
one put over him as a check. The tar
looks zap 20 and respects his officers. for
he fears them; but the marine he hates.
for it is the marine who gets him IN
trouble But il marines were not q feat
ure Of a man-of-war il is doubtful wheth-
er the discipline required OF a crew Of
COO men would be Of that efficient nature
now in force. Our navy is peculiarly
distinctive In its method Of mobilization
when compared with similar institutions
abroad In the first place, our service
offers better pay. better duty and greater
emoluments than does any other service
/ In the world.
All United States war vessels carry q
marine guard. ranging in size. however,
/ from a captains command Of fifty 10
sxty men on flagship TO a corporars
, squad on a monitor. When ship is
/ about 10 go in commission her marine
/ guard. which has been previously de-
tailed, Is marched aboard and stands in
readiness 10 salute the ensign as il floats
| out from the peak. From this moment
until the expiration Of the three years
/ cruise tho guard watches that element
/ forward" with a constancy that allows
/ of no relaxation. When the three years
/ cruise Is at an end, when the seamen who
| have been shipmates through every trial
and hardship are about TO march ashore
and sever their associations. that stern
and implacable marine guard may be
seen in line on deck and under arms
the last TO leave tho vessel-and as the
flag IS hauled down they give the last
salute to the colors they have defended.
SHOOTING FROM THE RIGGING.
The marines have warm admirers in
those persons who are acquainted with
their sterling worth and necessity. Says
Admiral Wilkes: ''The marines consti-
tlIte the great-I had almost said the
onlv-difference between a man-of-war
and a privateer." They are" adds an
/ other writer, 1.-The bulwark between the
cabin and the forecastle." while Rear
Admiral Stewart remarked, 1.-The sup
port afforded by steady column of
bayOnets has rendered mutinies scarce"
The marine is peculiarly soldier. He
is dressed. equipped and handled as a
soldier, and his whole life is the very op-
posite 70 that OF q sailor.
In time Of action aboard ship the ma
rines are either stationed at one of the
heavy pivot guns, or else disposed about
decks and in the tops TO act as sharp
shooters. 1t was u marine who from the
top of the Frenchman alongside the Vic
tory at Trafalgar, shot down the brave
Nelson as he stood on the deck Of the
latter ship. The guard messes, eats and
sleeps in a body. always apart and dis
tinct from the crew.
Let the reader imagine himself at mid
night on the gun deck of a large vessel
Of war lying quietly at anchor. A dim
light is burning forward, throwing a
heavy glare among the crowded ham
mocks where 800 men are sleeping. Not
a sound is TO 10 heard save the steady
tread Of the marine sentry overhead,
while the swish Of the black water
against the sides breaks the ominous
silence. AS the bell strikes eight" the
hour of midnight, a solitary figure in
full uniform, with sword and pistols,
steps noiselessly from the cabin door
lie stops and listens for 4 moment, as the
turning q some restless sleeper in his
hammock attracts his attention. He 10
the commanding officer. Walking for
ward. he bends over the hammock Of a
drummer boy and whispers a word in
his ear; the only reply is bound to the
deck. and the next instant the long roll
Is sounding through the ship.
Asif by magic 800 men leap from their
h1mmocks, hastily pass three lashings,
and throwing them against the sides OF
the ship. rush half naked to tho guns.
In three minutes after the first sounding
Of that call 20 general quarters" the
guns are cast loose and the glare Of the
battle lanterns along the deck reveals
tho crouching forms Of the tars as clus-
tered about their pieces they wait the
word to open IRE. And again all is
silent along that deck, the same as when
few minutes previous every man was
wrapt in slumber. Not a word Of warn
ing had been given, and the sudden
alarm aptly proved the excellence Of the
: ships disciplne.-New York Tines
The View discovery.
Have Won heard vour friends snC