The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-04-17
DARK SIDE OF NAVY LIFE.
n Is NOT ALL FUN AND FRoLlo,
BUT VERY LARGELY A BORE,

The Work IL Hard to negin with, pnd
Unhappy Ships Arc More Plentiful THAI
Happy Onaa-isysn tho Captain Illus q
Hard Time- raternAl ConFol,
"lho llfe Of naval officer ID very far from
being an easy 0r amusing one la my opinion II
said young lieutenant, "rsopla generally
have notion that we do nothing but lark
aud play, hut such IA a. Tar ~ possible from
being tho oase. 10 begin with Wa have 10 do
~ least eight hours out Of tls tWenty-four OF
the hardest sort pf toll work. Indeed so dila,
gfeeahle Ia ~ character that there are fsw
Kinds Of labor which are not pleasant In CON,
parlaon, -Four hours by day aud four hours
AZ night, month after month aud year after
year, we must spend In silently walking a
plank, forbidden 20 utter word tu any one,
unless II II Unnecessary 70 make formal COM
munloatlon ~ tho captain, aud oven denied
the privilege Of sitting down II We are tired
suoh Is watch duty You can Imagine how
slowly tho llme must phsil M occupied par
tloularly NJ night whom tho incidental 70,
| ponsIhlliy for tho Fhlps 1'oiy rests hoayy
on tho mind, Maybe your night watch bo,
| glna NJ b =, IN, aud lasta until ~, II not you
must be Engaged In this pleasing duty from
midnight liIl IN tho morning, Hut all the
same you must he through breakfast before
0 n, m, aud ready for morning drill. The
plue jackets have 10 ba put through their
eyouilons like soldiers, marching IN squads
and prnotIcIng ~ tho guns la tho afternoon
II ID likely there will ba another drill Dur,
| lug tho intervals " such dullUa you may loaf
or 80 10 sleep In this way II Ito ON board
ship made up, For my own part 1 would
rather live on land,N
SUMS HAprY AND oIuERwIaE
"liut you have an agreeable Ugumpaulonahip
among your follow ofloerN
"lt all depends. WhentH ward rdroommesa
Is composed exclusively Of jolly aud congonial
men things go worry pleaAutIy But such a
fortunate condition of aFl.H d rather the
exception than tho rule, There aru many
more unhappy ships In tho service, ~ wo
phrase ~ than happy opea, You roo, social
existence under such circumstances h reduced
10 worry close quarters, ami small things boz
como serious annoyance A diaagroeahlo
follow, not In any way 10 bb avoided or got
cid Of can occasion much discomfort, Hut
tho most common source ut uncomfortable,
neH ID mere want OF sympathy among tho
ofilcera How can II BIO expected that tho
man Of mature years could had companion,
able fresh young ensign NOT long out Of tho
naval academy, or yice yUnli Such differ
encog of age, feelings and opinions arc necoa,
larlly productive, u not OF dscOrd, NJ loast uf
unhappnpn. II tho executive oGlcor, who
always prcsdoa over the ward room moss, h
ON unpleasant person, thMM are mAd0 OK,
t..l..sHs.I.l. L.
tyranuical manner carrying hls authority 70
tho table even, and the worry meals win bo
rendered uupalninhlo through hlH bad temper
II would hardly do for bin tp 20 10 far ~ 10
orItIelto the table manner ut tho other on
eolu or 10 hsult them IN any way, because
thoy have II In tholr pGwo 20 book redress for
such an Injury by meeting him on shore and
thraahing hImi but ho oou do pretty nearly
anything short of that O,or tho conyorta,
tlon at the board lao has control, and, when
he considers that u dlacus Ion has gone far
enough, he says hmplyj That will do, gem
tlemon'
"ouo would Imagine tho position Of cap.
tain 70 ho u very enjoyable ono"
DIGNITY oN MunoARp.
~ IL hardly such for many roasona. 10
bcgIn with, II Is exceedingly dinlcult for tho
captain Of ship to maintain agreeable rcla.
tlons socially with his o1'ru and 10 keep up
strict discipline ~ tho MWu tim0, II tho COM
mandor Of u mnn'of war wore Soon 10 indulge
In laughing familiarity with one of the lou
tonanta thatanglo act would loosen discipline
all over the vessel, From that time on tho
naval cadet would bo more ut o0.o with the
executive officer the petty officers would boa
trlno moro familiar In nldrc ling tho younger
lioutCnunt, and the hlUi iBch0ts would plya
slightly lpda respectful attention 30 tho orders
Of the petty officers, Everything on board
must outwardly prvuryuun Gir Of tho coolest
furmhlity, olso before you know II there viii
bo trouble, which can only ho aottlod 10y put
ting u score Of the mon In Irons mud dropping
all social courtoslos botwcon tho captains
cabin aud The ward room, The captain must
always maintain tho ruloo an absolute mon.
arch, What hc mya Is law, Nummully q
captain has power Of No and death over any
ono On board, but lao would never carry II 10
that oKtrome, unless Ia case OF matIny, aud
ho is chary Of administering punishment, Tor
the reason that any common sailor under him
has the ear of the cuptnina own mnutersIt ho
has nm abuse 10 complain OF, for tho captain
N Obliged by tho regulations 10 forward 10
the secretary Of tho nuyy AZ Washington any |
document which the m0lnost blue Jacket may |
choose 10 hand 10 him Tor such transmission. |
llomay mark II Not approved Of, but ho has
got 10 sond u, and u may cause his own court |
martial and oven dismissal from tho service |
In caso the complaint Ia Of sufficiently sori.
oua nature aud ~ sustained.
"Wo have some spells Of comparative lib.
crty, OF course WHOM wO ar0 ON leave, On
my last leave went out west aud tho people
| mot said, 'ls tho navy stlll going onf oh,
yea, replied always, u Ia ftill going on
You must have b. myo up your pay for such
times ~ this, whom you don't earn anything,
Quo old farmer suggested Aud whom told
him that my pay wont on while | was on
leave he was indignant WHAT ho cxclaIm.
vi, do you mean 10 say that you git paid for
lon' nothiui Tho money earn by dlggln'
md swcatin' goes ter pay you for loailn'
around hero and lnrRin with the girhl by
goo, IN wrIto 20 my congressman tonight
md hoyit nxcdrn-htoryiow IN Washington
STAR
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