Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-09-29
SAILORS sHuN THEN.
Hard Work 10 Get Crews for the Ben.
nington and Concord.

New YoRk, Sept. IS The real trouble
in getting men Just now for the cfpisees
Concord and Bennington 10 due to the
cramped qnar!efs ON those vessels. Even
the officers srs protesting sgainst men being
sent to sea in such ships. The space be-
tween decks 10 % cut up and numbered with
~ sorts Of gear and appliances - 10 COM
pei hammocks to be swung in p1teaantahle
positions. The msehinists and leading
men are compelled to sleep in the
workrocms, End 20 crowded 10 the condition
below decks that The ventilation 10 seriously
sfscted.
Ssamen, il 10 declared by naval fficers.
are human. Il 10 bad enough, they say, to
be packed in like safdines, bat when this
packing is accompanied by . life on . roll
ing and plunging ship ord in an atmosphere
poisonous from being bfesihed over and
over agsir, the situation become unbesra-
bic.
10 the big wooden frigates Of former
days the seamen enjoyed plenty of room
aai At least good ventilation. Five hundred
nien were easily carried aboard vessels of
the Brooklyn class. On the Concord apd
be, sisters 60 men take up every available
Bit Of space. 1t 10 90 crowded on the Con-
cord that officers Wishing to 20 forward at
night have to turn men out from the ham
mocks swioging near the door opening on
under the topgalla forecastle before it be-
comes possible to open this door.
The only remedy officers cay. Tor the
state Of Affairs aboard the l700-ton vessels
is to reduce the fittings on these ships and
than follow il up by sending naval construc-
t~~ 81 fhar uttv
to personally observe how men live and
that they need for their comfort. This
latter Recommendation has been carried out
in the British navy, Bluejsckets assigned
to war ship serve on that vessel for three
full years. From the fact that it is known
that the Bennington is short in her compli-
ment bluej sekets who have had experience
in the navy refuse to enlist at the receiving
ship Vermont. They know that the frs.
draft sent out from the Vermont will be TO
the Bennington and rather than to serve
three years in ''that hot hole" as they term
her they are holding aloof altogether.
or all the vessels in the new navy the
Chicago is the most popular one with man
of-wsrs men. Her gun deck and roomy
tpsce below gives the crew plenty Of
swinging room. Last year when five crews
Of war ships psii,ioned the secretary Of the
navy to withdraw marines from service
8 4 pat, these same crews asked that in
future designs op- war chips be given gun
decks.
The value Of gun decks is only appre-
cis,ed By men who have ac,usily to go to
sea Naval constructors who cit comfort
ably in their Office chairs think only, naval
tfficers say, Of getting the greatest number
Of fittings into ships in the space and dis
placement allowed. There is little or no
consideration for the sailor. The fact that
men have 10 spend three years in ships is
entirely forgotten, as 10 also the fact that
bodily comfort is factor Of prime i'm
poftance in developing 8ghting efficiency.
The condition of affairs has become so
bad in enlsting men at the Brooklyn yard
that the commanding officers Of the YAntic,
Boston and other ships needing few men
to fill up vacancies in their compliments,
have received permission from the navy
department to enlist dire ct for their vessels.
In this way sesmen in signing the articles
Of enlistment will be assurd that they are
not intended for the Concord and Benning'
ton.
When the Concord and Bennington will
succeed in obtsining full crew compliments
is entirely problsmsticsl.