Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-06-04

maud. II Is because Of the response
bilitY vested In Q midshipman tnat
the British exercise such great care IN
the selection Of lads. Not a fractional
a T Of the scientific course given TO
American naval cadets is exacted OF the
British midshipmen. The naval au-
thorities OF England aim more at oo-
tanning practical men than scientists
and they exercise extraordinary care 10
secure youngsters who have in them the
blood Of fighting men. The theory that
blood will tell obtains largely in the
British Navy.
When the British fleet landed $50 blue
Jackets for the recent shore parade 1t
was observed that one British ohcer
was in sole command Of 100 men. ms
officer, though, had with him four mid
shipmen. The same number OF men In
the American naval brigade had not less
than three commissioned officers, ana In
some instances six.
1--WE find" said a British officer,
that the placing Of our midshipmen In
responsible positions knocks out OF the
all 'cocky' ideas and makes
them sober, thinking chaps. They
early realize what responsibility means,
and we think that the early experience
az command work makes better COM
mapders and captains Of them"
During the stay of the Blake the ma
iorlty OF her midshipmen obtained two
DAYS leave Of absence on shore, though
none Of them was permitted to sleep on
shore over night.
One party Of middies was treated to
an unpleasant surprise while ashore.
After they had enjoyed an excellent re-
past, their host led them to the smok-
ing room, in which they speedily made
the atmosphere thick and hazy with the
smoke OF fragrant but prohibited Gig
srettes. Suddenly through the fog OF
the apartment doomed up the familiar
form Of Capt. Hamilton of the Blake!
Some OF the midshipmen cannot to
this day tell whether they swallowed
their cigarettes, or dropped them n
trod upon them. However, no birching
followed this infraction Of rules. Pos
sibly the Captain could not see through
the smoke.
Wherever the youngsters went while
ashore, they made a most favorable I'm
preston. They caused not a little sur
prise by their oddish ways. AS u
United States officer put in:
"Why, those youngsters on the Blake
know as much about ordnance and the
handling OF a ship as do many of our old
Lieutenants, and l doubt If any OF Il
naval cadets can teach them anything
about the practical duties aboard a wal
ship"
British officers say that a m%idshipman
10 the British Navy is supposed to be
fully competent TO command a ship, n
20 a New York Times reporter many In
stances were cited where, even In re-
cent years, midshipmen have been sud
denly placed in sole command.
During the great storm which swept
over England some three years ago, the
British channel squadron was lying In
an open roadstreet on the west coast"
said an officer. NEARLY all the prlnei-
pal officers were on shore at q ball. with
the exception OF a few Sub-Lteutenants
and a lot Of midshipmen, the Channel
sQuadron-England's most powerful
fighting feet-was stripped or officers.
The storm came suddenly. All com
municatiOn with the shore was cut OH.
The waves and wind were coming
straight 10 from the sea and threatening
TO drive every vessel of the fleet on to the
rocky coast. Without the slightest
hesitation, a Sub-Lieutenant on the nag
ship slgnaled the vessels Of the fleet to
up anchor aud go to sea- aud for the
following thirty-six hours, until the
storm subsidized, many Of the leviathan
war ships Of EnEland's Channel squad
ron were steaming head on to the great
seas, with no one Of higher rank in COM
mand on the bridges than a midship-
man. But the Channel squadron was
saved, and officers who served with the
great feet during that period say that
for the next two years and until every
midshipman who had been on duty dur
ing the storm had been gazetted the
birch rod was suspended in every vessel
of tha Channel command"