The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-30

S1hh1tn the ming OF ino heI' o. p'''i'''
t,l the next morning. No salute shall be
fired in the presence Of a senior, says The law.
without his permission, unless IL be- salute
20 such senior.
And there is the matter Of costume. Navy
men have more bother about their clothing
than any other men IN tho world. In the
naval regulations as much space rs IS cquira
lent 10 ton of these columns IS taken mp with
description Of what officers and men must
wear on various occasions. Everything Is
SET forth with minute particularly, and woe
unto the man who, from carclessness or IN.
difference. fails 90 comply with each and
every prescription, oven 20 the number Of
threads by which shirt button shall be at
tachcd 10 the mother garment
One Of the first things a sailor on board a
man.of-war begins o. think about IN the
morning is what he shall wear for The day
In this be resembles the BELLE but, unlike the
belle. he las no voice in The decision. lie
must wear whatever the commanding oiiicrr
saws be- shall wear. Each officer keeps about
n half dozen complete uniforms and when
be- gets up in the morning be has no idea
which one be- is going % put on. This be
learns from orders about o'clock. and after
breakfast he must appear in the regulation
uniform. 10 isa tradition Of the navy that
commanding officers like 90 prescribe white
duck for the polar regions ami heavy blue
flannel when In equatorial waters but no
matier-if white duck IS written down on the
order book. white duck it must be-, even II a
blizzard is racing across the sen. There ls
something absurd about leaving the moment
ous matter Of tine uniform for the day 20 an
admiral and yet this is done every day in
tine year a captain on commander mas
ure.cribo the dres. of his subordinate officers
if no admiral is present. but II there be an
admiral in the squadron. tine admiral signals
the dress order from bis flagship % all The
other ships in port.
The luckless officer who sticks his nose
above the gongplank with the slightest de.
Walton from orders visible in bis uniform.
be H. wrong bat. wrong tie, single button
out of place or bit Of silver cord where gold
should be shown. would Doe instantly sent be-
low by the officer of the deck
The whole theory OF the naval organization
appears % be that men must be made part
Of machine There also seems 20 be some
hello % discipline i'm all this Formally and fine
politeness. aud that is about all the good 1t
does do Gilbert and Suliyans "Piuafore'
did not exaggerate the importance Of rank
ON board ship. and the satire is as applicable
10 the American a. 20 the British navy Even
the manner Of issuing orders is calculated o.
impress each subordinate in turn with the
dignity aud importance Of his superiors.
It in this way that the circumlocution Of
tine naval establishment has its uses and JUST
Gcation. Take as an illustration the first
Sunday of "a month. or muster day. Every
one appears on deck this morning in full
dress. When all is ready the first lieutenant
cravely informs The captain that the officers
and crew are ready 10 muster Then the
captain. with as much dignity as possible
makes his appearance on deck and bids The
first lieutenant % read the articles of war;
The lieutenant lifts up his voice and reads the
laws against drunkenness, gambling and all
the other sins which Jack Tars have peculiar
weaknesses for. Having concluded, DE re-
ports to the captain that he awaits further
orders.
"Then 60 on witch the muster" says the
captain to the first Lieutenant
SEQ on with the muster" says the first
lieutenant 10 the officer Of the deck.
SEQ on with the muster" says the officer
Of the deck % the paymaster.
600 on with the MUSTER says the paymas-
ter to his clerk, and the clerk does go on with
the muster which is merely roll cell u the
ships company. This concluded, the clerk
reports 20 the paymaster that the muster is
finished, the paymaster reports TO the officer
Of the deck. the officer Of the deck 20 the first
lieutenant and the first Lieutenant 10 the cap
tain. All this is accompanied 10y salutes In
Vulnerable and solemnity indescrbable Then
the captain sings out: pipe down, and after
the first lieutenant has passed this order 10
the officer of the deck, and boy him 10 has
been handed down from hand 70 hand til 10
reaches The boatswain, the boatswain "pipes
down and all hands are free to go about
their business. This looks like nonsense, but
every o.d officer viii tell You that it helps 10
preserve the proper distinctions and authori-
" Of rank ON board snip.
No European court is more jealous Of its
etiquette than the American navy. There
was a time when the captain Of a man-oi-war
was an emperor of absolute domain within
the walls of bis ship. 10 isless than quarter
Of "A century since the son Of a cabinet officer
was hanged al the masthead for violation of
orders The captain no longer -has such pow
crs OF life or death over his subordinates, but
be is still tremendous parsonage. His quar-
ters are sumptu0us lie has boat aud crew
to carry him backward and forward ON pub
lie or private business. lie cannot stir with
ont being greeted by the honors OF salutes
Guns are fired when he leaves his ship and
when he returns 10 it. Ills representative,
even though a mere ensign, receives the sac
lutte Of every officer and seaman His sacred
quarter deci, must not be defiled 10y the feet
OF stragglers, and when am officer passes the
quarter deck, even though the captain lie not
there, he must salute it 10y touching his cap,
as the dcyout believer makes obeisauce before
the sacred idol.
Is it any wonder that the maintenance Of
discipline in the navy gives more trouble 70
officers than the winning OF
battles, ROBERT GRAVES