The record-union., 1892-03-10
# Trinidad in 1919, and was then quite

of Trinidad in 1919, and was then quite
young.
The Brazil station was pleasant, ex-
tending as il did to the waters Of La
Plata. large estuary receiving the
waters OF The Paraguay River.
The Pacific station was also favorite.
distant as it was, and approached by
stormy seas and westerly winds off Cape
horn, which made the passage long and
tedious.
After nearly three years in distant seas
every one on board was delighted when
the anchor was weighed and the vessel
homeward bound. The little middle had
often developed almost to manhood should
he have made an earlier cruise. After
long voyage, from the masthead the cry
OF Land, no ~ would at length come,
after the usual delays from gales, calms
ana mead winds; then, as the vessel APP
preached the port a pilot boat would
heave IN sight, and the pilot would be
haIled as long-lost brother; he would
hand bundle of newspapers to the Off
Ger who received him at the gangway. to
be presented to the Captain, and ere long
distribution would be made to those
VINO 1elt the greatest interest in home
news. On arriving in port after fifty
days at sea dinner on fresh meats, vege-
tables and fruits may be regarded as
among the solid enjoyments of life Let
celyed with teyerish anxiety, telling too
often TO those who read them that they
mad come too late to see some of those
held most dear on earth A week or
more was usually required to receive
orders, then IN day the ship would be
stripped to gaunt-line," the ships
nold and Storerooms would be emptied of
their contents. and the officers and sailors
would be paid Oft, to their great delight.
The sailor who had taken care of his
clothing would frequently have several
hundred dollars in his pocket, which, un-
happily, he did not know how to invest.
and the jaunty man-of-war's man of the
day would usually a week later be glad
TO escape from 1.-The pleasures of the
shore'' to the quiet and order of a receiv-
ing ship, where he knew he would be
Wen cared for, and, perhaps, when sent
to sea again, go ''up the Straits,'' instead
OF to less attractive station. Officers of
rank would receive their three-months'
leave, and midshipmen also. unless those
who were nearly eligible for examina-
ton would be permitted to go to any OF
our navy yards to be instructed by the
Professor of Mathematics, who, with a
seXtant in his hand and q RowditcIls
Navigator at his side, was supposed to be
an ample source of nautical knowledge to
supply the limited wants OF the navy at
that time.
The little middle would go to his home,
II not yet grown, with down upon his
upper lip and cheeks and spend his
three months with his friends, then look
forward to another cruise 10 return bv
being transferred to some homeward-
pound vessel on the station, to enable
him to prepare for his examination. to
which he was entitled the six th year after
receiving his appointment as acting mid
shipman.
With these crude advantages many of
these young officers. by dint of study
when afioat and ashore, and through their
observations over distant seas and lands,
became known in the highest grades as
able and accomplished, and others in all
that pertained to their duties What
may not be generally known is, they
were exceptionally free from the vice of
gambling, and however small their pay
ana incomes, they lived within their
means.
A long list could be given of worthy
and even distinguished officers who have
lived on their pay, many of them mar
ried even before reaching the grade of
lieutenant, and have reared families in
every way worthy of their parentage
Ihe mothers were rarely endowed with
more worldly goods" than the tradi-
uonal old negro, with a canoe and oyster
tongS. They were women of character
and sense, who were content to live on
small means, and did so without discom-
fort. farragut. Porter, and the greater
number of those who attained distinction
IN the "old navy" entered at a very
young age: almost as infants they were
rocked in the cradle of the deep" and
became accustomed to the hardships and
privations of sea life. This is no incon-
siderable point in the usefulness of a sea
officer, for, after all, the middle is only
interesting when he has the capability of
development as the years roll on.-Daniel
Ammen. Admiral u 5. n