The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-05-18
On a Man-Ot. War.

The instant it is officially announc-
ed that United States man-of-war
is ordered into commission a pen.
nant is run up to the masthead. and
this bit of bunting never comes down
until the vessel is temporarily or per-
manentIy retired from active service.
So long as the pennant flies the quar-.
ter.deck must be patroled by an off,
Ger in uniform. This vigilance is
never relaxed night or day, whether
the ship is sailing hostile waters in
war time or tied to a hayward
wharf in period of absolute peace.
For twenty-four years the United
States have been at peace with them
selves and all the world. yet in all
that time there has not been an in
slant. 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 man.
of.war,
Here lies a ship in commission,
moored at navy-yard wharf. Step
on board, and see how all is done.
An orderly halts you. learns your
business and permits you to pass the
gang-plank. 1t is 9 o'clock in the
morning. The fires in the cooks
galley haye been lighted since 2:3O,
and it is nearly four hours since the
drum and fife sounded the reyeille
that brought all hands on deck. AT
this sound the seamen awake. dress,
lash up their hammocks and make
ready for bread and coffee.
Then, after short season of smok-
ing, the men "turn to" and wash
down the decks. All is done at the
boatswain's whistle. Two hundred
stout seamen with hose and what not
can make ships deck very clean,
but for time extremely uncomtort.
able, While this operation goes on
the imperturable officer of the deck,
in rubber boots. or shocking to say,
sometimes in bare feet. keeps up his
ceaseless tramp. At 7:30 the squegees,
long handled boards with rubber
strips on the lower edge, are applied
to the decks and the water disappears.
At O'Clock the seamen have their
breakfast of oatmeal, sausage and
coffe. or perhaps of hominy, canned
meat and chocolate. Jack is very
well fed, and the witticism that lone
mans canned meat is another's poi.
son." inspired by the horrors of the
British commissariat in the Crimea,
has not been applied to the food of
the United States man. Of wars man.
At this hour the colors are hOisted ;
that is, if it be week day the United
States flag is sent up to the gaff, or if
it be Sunday or holiday the Union
Jack is displayed at the bow. At $50
the men have finished eakfast, and
at $3.50 they are ready for work. At
TINS hour the "sick call" sounds, and
those who are unwell visit the sur
geon in the '.sck bay" or ships hos.
pital, tiny space we'll up in the eye
of the ship.
By this time the "uniform of the
day" has been announced to the Off
GERS. 1t may be any one of half a
dozen outfits. and there is dispo-
sition to accuse the powers that be of
ordering white duck on cold days in
the north and blue cloth in the trop.
les. The Captain decides upon the
uniform of the day unless his ship be
in the presence of an Admiral, in
which case the uniform IS signaled
from the flagship to all the other
vessels lying in the same port.
Odd stories are told to illustrate
the rigidity of discipline in the mat.
ter of dress. Should an officer pre-
sent himself above the gang-plank
with the slightest deviation from the
uniform of the day he would be in.
stantly ordered below by the officer
of the deck. The wrong hat, the
wrong tie.or 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 at their
proper posts. When the sound to
quarters is heard there is scurrying
into uniforms and buckling on of
swords in the ward room. The line
officers rush on deck, the paymaster
stands by his safe and the surgeon
looks to his knives. In FIVE minutes
the line officers return to the ward
room with the announcement that
the country is saved once more. Drill
follows quarters. 1t may be with
small arms. with muskets or what
not. One thing is assured. and that
is that no seaman shall long remain
In the possession of leisure. If moth.
ing needs to be done, employment is