The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-06
WHAT OUR MARINES READ.
They aro Fond or Fiction. hut DO Not Care
for KellxiOus Periodicals..

They are Fond OF Fiction, hut DO Not Care
for Religious Periodicals.
The unsophisticated marine. pictured with
attentive ear ever inclined toward the yarn
spinning shellback. is not 80 frequently met
as formerly There was ,ime whom the old
salts chief diversion was filling UP the cGllow
sea soldier with tales OF bluejaoket prowess.
Nothing was considered too tough for the mem
tai digestion OF arine.
The bluejacket has profound contempt for
tho nautical Accomplishments OF q sea soldier.
Deficiency In this respect seems to Jack to be.
token general ignorance. Ii you should 60
aboard II man o war and ask an ancient tar
what he thought OF marines he would be likely
to answer:
We'll l omit say as l thinks much on EN-,
they Is SO damned dumb!'
Should you suggest that the marines have an
almost unapproachable record for valor. the
tar would attribute it to their ignorance.
Tho blueJacket- delight In telling how the
marines distinguished themsolvs, In n sham
battle down at Hampton Roads less than ten
years ago. The signal ordering them to pre-
pare to land in boata had been ho!sted on the
flagship. They stood In wha!eboats and cutters
looking back over their shoulders at the
signal. the lowering OF which meant that
they should wade through the surf and
make a landing. The flag went down
wien they were within quarter Of
Q milo OF the beach. and tho marines
plunged overheard. heavily equipped. They
found themselves laundering around with
three ia hons OF water under them. SWIM
ming was no pastime to them. and for half an
hour tho blueJacIets were kept hustlin9 to
pick the too-obeiient marines up. blue
jacket wouldn't have obeyed the order t. !aud
until he could see bottom. or felt pretty sure
tn he could wade ashore.
But The marine is not SO bad INTEL ectually
as the merry tars enieavor to mako the land
lie fought E on the Greek ,riremes ABOUT 2uSS
TIA. he bel even when he first goes
ming .asho;o with tie anchor. Ho
the equal Of Jack in tho use Of the gloves; and.
athousn he may a.,, alIbe he can uron 9e-
Fled Veteran In tho fo'csile. Yes, tho Blue.
jacket may stuff him when be is first nut
sell and h. takes hi. teyens" %'th Hdm mt
interest when no gets ashore ana tails in with
a. innocent ianLsman. ,.--,,.-
for rls imagery fro,l mo Libraries that are
maintnne ct ever barra,k, ,orr his nene,.Lt,
Navy Yard. whore most o! tho youu. lcl4ws
| recruited Tor tho s"rvic" are sent. IL nsIther
size, in Tho world. Most ortho 40 mar mes 10
ss c S. sSsn ii. ' rnM 4.s
Is toward fiction; Moro Than. hall
he men VIII, :, Guilt IN 10 Marine
out OF rob or In trouble because OF love nlIairs
| They have the migratory ir rtinct Strongly 10.
their term of liv. years, service M bo aboard
snins that may take them 10 many strange
tlea as ,ns 1--we Of tales Of aiysninSs. They
| do not care for religious books, and utterly
hs s; bs rhs It'll.
their mothers gave them.
Mar, a. + the iny.ri's snthoy and his sto.
| like a stln sensational tale: that D. most OF
them do But there are some who may be
or Spsncers syniRci" TThi I'll Sext 10
Mar vat DinkenS arreas most TO the sym
S Il them psp aT re SWELL we'll
thur bed, and oliver Twist" Is absolutely
Private Robert Moir, scotchmen., who has
Ut tho barracks, lIe says that about forty
i" Are "w wny Hpf Ing and asy s ons.
may take out a hook aud keep /, or live davs
library is surnoriei. BY tho ,naines them.
| two daily newApnners: one OF which IL Tns
buN, several Illustrated wseklie-. and all ho
best MAGAZINES. They ike short stories better
tar Irastps +; Robinson; the acting com:
G TI s' STATE. tue TRsy atfs %' 'nf
ranable OF q ysry high grade OF discirlino.
body OF men In the country. A sailor who
head tho marines comDmsnted on their
,most anything with u gun cent shoot with 1t Z"
But thsJ have done some pretty 20 ID shooting.
potahly ut, the Barrier Forts In Corea. a.
Mexico. and AT Panama
A paragraph In q Brooklyn newspaper re-
Gently said that the marines had ado an mp
racks, b-nsv4isnt lair who saw tho para.
| Eraph wrote 10 tho comma"Iant, asking him II
| he woiii a"r'pt .ov al hunl"Hd rupss OF u
re'leious wesa!y for tho pJQr marines. Capt.
! ROOF son SnYs tho marines have made no APP
peaii2 booiS for their library hut ,hat they
! sent 10 them