Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-06-28
IN A MAN OF WAR,
OFFICERS LIFE IN ONE CT UNCLE SANS
SHIPS.
Quaint Naval Customs That Fave the Force O.
Rigid Law-Naval hen With Full
poek.ibooks Havs Fun in Earo-
pean Waters.
NelD York Adrertiser.

i.
quarter Of the globe. 1t is a simple but
interesting and significant ceremony
that OF putting United States man-of-
var into commission-and IL takes place
at the Brooklyn Navy Yard as often as
elsewhere.
As the ship lies at her dock, the com
mandant of the yard, in whose charge
she technically remains 50 long as she
is in this port and not in commission,
comes on board and finds officers and
men drawn up on deck. The colorS are
hoisted, and then the commandant OF
the yard, turning TO the captain OF the
ship, gives her into his charge.
The captain of the ship then has his
commission read aloud to officers and
men, and his pennant is broken ut the
mainmast. Perhaps he makes a speech
before the boatswain pipes down. and
then perhaps he does not. But from
the moment that the captains pennant
flutters TO the breeze the active duties
of officers and men begin.
After that time the flag always flies,
and day and night watch officer Is on
duty. The routine of ship duty has be-
gun: the bells are sounded from hour 10
hour; the boatswain's whistle sings
through the rigging like the mimic
storm wind through the flies OF the
theater; the watch officer solemnly
tastes the food prepared for the crew
and below matches the wardrobe chat
goes on.
After that no man or officer leaves
the ship without permission, nor does
the sun 90 down without due notice
from the bOatswaln'S whistle and the
drum. Everything proceeds according
to ancient precedent. The captain lives
alone in gloomy splender. Neither Off
Ger nor man approaches him without
the interDosition Of an orderly.
a boats crew is always ready TO bear
him whithersoever he will. The very
hour OF the day is not the hour OF the
day unless he wills l.; for before the
bell is struck an orderly respectfully
announces that it is four bells, or six
bells, or eight bells, as the case may be,
and the fact is not toied ont until the
captain has said make it So"
IL was an angry captain who woke
late one morning after IN all-night
vigil IN 4 severe storm 70 find that the
bell had been sounded without his 'make
it So" because the humane officer OF the
dock had respected the tired command
er'S slumbers.
Below in the ward room precedent
and precedence hold sway, rs upon the
quarter deck. The executive officer
sits at the head Of the dinner table,
and staff and line are arranged IN due
gradations Of rank on his right and left.
Only the presence OF guest justldes
smoking at table after dinner without
special permission.
lights are all ont by 10 O'Clock, I'M
less a disUensatiOn has been granted by
the captain. As 10 dress, the uniform
of the day is prescribed each morning.
and woe TO the officer that shall appear
ON deck with the wrong necktie.
Most seryiccGble ships in the United
States navy are occupied greater part
OF the time = squadron duty. Just now
there are the north Atlantic squadron,
the south Atlantic squadron, the Asiatic
squadron, the Pacific squadron, the
training squadron and the squadron Of
evolution. The last named is the first
If its kind. Sometimes there is d
European squadron. which has its rem
devious az Vile Franche and passes
much Of the time in Mediterranean
ports.
Uncttached ships are busted with all
SORTS Of special missions. Sometimes 1t
is to watch the seal fisheries IN Behring
sea: sometimes TO protect American IN
terests in seine far-of, hali-civIized
port: sometimes to pursue SLAYER in
the Indian ocean. Every year or two a
man-of-war goes through the Meditef
ranean or Red seas and down the east
coast OF Africa TO Madagascar, just to
assure the inhabitants Of that island
that Uncle Sam has them in mind.
There is some sort OF treaty stipua-
ton that requires these calls at Mada-
cascan ports. 4 vessel on such cruise
touches, perhaps, at Port Natal, Cape
Town, So. Helena and South American
ports before coming hOmeward. The
cruise often lasts year or Is months,
long enough for all on board to be pretty
tired OF one another. Everybody has
heard all the doctors stories three times
over before the ship reaches Cape Town,
and the chief engineers weil-worn
pleasantries have palled even upon the
greenest junior while tho cruise was
still young.
The full Lieutenant's escapades ashore
furnish amusement and endless chaff as
far as ST. Helena, but after that he is
no longer source OF amusement. How
ever, tedious as the long cruise usually
proves, it holds for most officers the
consolation that pay IS filling up to
their credit during those long months
at sea. After Cape Town is passed
there Is absolutely no method OF spend
ing money save for food and drink,
unless, indeed, one finds an accomplish
to aid In violating the articles Of war at
poker.
When Montevideo is reached even
those officers that began the cruise
dead broke and two months pay In
DEBT to the government, have several
hundred dollars TO their credit, and
everybody is able to do "the Mount" in
q manner creditabe to the service.
Squadron duty on the Asiatic station
is. perhaps, as satisfactory as anything
the navy has TO offer. From three TO
six ships are kept on that station, and
the duty involves peep at Oriental life
srom Corea down 10 the Malay PeninSu-
Ia, with perhaps an excursion into Brit
fish India. Several Of the vessels on the
Asiatic squadron have been Is or 20
years in these waters, and 1t IS doubtful
whether they will ever return to the
United States, since they could scarcely
be made seaworthy for the voyage
across the Pacific.
The Monocacy and the Palcs are small
vessels that run up the rivers of China
and stop at interior town. Their duty
is to give encouragement and protec-
ton TO American residents, especially
the missionaries. All Caucasians are
ba.ed and despised by the Chinese and