Smyrna times., 1894-05-02
tut I'VV fT771yF ItV9 7 VI
The Columbia in Commission.


by the government. Precisely at u
o'clock the formalties attending to
placing the ship in commission were
gone through with. Earlier in the day
all was hustle and excitement in max
in the preliminary preparations. Gold
aced officers moved quickly about for
The time being forgetful of the leisurely
1ignity-bOrn of command-untilt their
'kit" had been snugly slowed away in
the cabin and ward room lockers.
Mess room walters and cooks early
had fires started under the big cOppers
in the cooking ranges for before an
other eight bells would have been
struck five hundred and fifty men
would require to be fed.
Soldierly marines a full battalion
came aboard in advance of the Blue
Jackets, who were yet at League Island,
and whose presence it seems was not
essential in the raising of the flag that
they may at any time be called upon
to defend.
OF visitors to make up for the alb
sence of the blue jackets the ship was
covered with them. Mannishly dressed
ladies climbed up to the bridge and
leaning upon the brass railing look ed
interestedly upon the busy decks be-
low. Elderly, retired gentlemen with
canes (you always see them that way)
took great interest in going about prod
ding at every thing as if to make sure
that the cold steel could not easily be
pierced with an enemy's shot. Pres
emily along came q noisy group of
students from some of the colleges, and
presto. they all disappear down into
the depths of the great engine rooms
to study the machinery as students al
ways do. Now here comes the Chap
lain aboard for from time immemorial
it is the custom on board Of a United
States war-ship for the chaplain to in
vote divine protection upon the start
soon to be made upon unsailed seas.
He is an Episcopal clergyman, young
and in his Cromwell hat and long Cas-
sock apparently took no notice Of any
thing but went directly aft to his
quarters and robed for the ceremonies.
Soon it began to be whispered about
the yard Il at the COlumbia's chaplain
was Father Tom Sherman, Gen. Sher-
mans son, but upon reflection Rev
Father Sherman is Catholic and OF
the Order of Jesuits, so that it is hardly
probable that even as appropriate it
would no doubt be for the great gen.
erals son to be assigned to the Colum-
bia, he could get the permission of his
superior to do so.
Besides, if the United States govern
ment has a preference for any religion
it is nearly always in the direction oil
the Episcopalian for the Navy in the
army it is different, the army leans to
Catholicism. At Gettysburg when
Hancock rode from left to right al
Cemetery Ridge under the concentra.
ted fire of one hundred and twenty
pieces of Confederate artillery, behind
him walked a Catholic priest with cruici
fix in hand absolving the men of the
Irish brigade crouched on the ground
at his feet so that the choice is mo-
made on the side of fearlessness buI
simply custom.
Presently great volumes of black
smoke begin to pour out each of the
four huge smoke stacks and you think
of the splendid ship leaving her dock
and steaming to League Island anC
there 60 into commission. This, how
ever, is only stokers trial in firing the
boilers and ceases when the steam be
gins to climb the guage.
The Chief Engineer is hardly less il
rank than the commanding officer anC
must needs go into commission witt
the immense boilers as it were.
Suddenly the deep-toned whistles OI
the yard shrek out the hour of noon
The marines are already drawn up OIL
the quarterback ready to present arms
as "Old Glory" is broke loose from the
ball on the after flag staff and gayly
springs to the breeze and then follOwes
the captains ensigns to the mizzen 8
long thin bit OF ribbon. Next is broke
loose the Union Jack forward on the
bow blue field clustered with forty
four stars. Meanwhile the officers are
grouped about the Commander wht
formally reads the order from the Sec
retary of the Navy. Then the Chap
lain offers prayer. The marines grounC
arms then. Present. The bugler call.
attention. The drums roll and til,
officers raise their hats and salute, anC
the ship is in commission. But Jack i
to come yet, bag and baggage, foui
hundred and fifty Of them In tn
meantime the marines are placed Ol
guard and are slowly edging the bull
of the visitors ashore, as sentiment ha
ceased and rigid discipline begun.
Presently the Blue Jackets com
trooping down the yard having beel
brought up from the navy yard on tn
cars. Mirth and hilarity marked thei
progress along like a lot of school boy
at recess. The officers hardly have an,
control over them. Jack antics how
ever are always passed over; peOpl
laughed andcheered them in turns ION
they staggered with their hammocks o.
shoulders and "Ditty Box" in hand
Ah me-the pathOs of these little bOXe
could they be known how poor Jac
on some lonely foreign station turns t
his little box and out of its recesse
brings forth the pictures of the love
ones at home. A lock of hair o
mothers. Sisters needle holder, fash
ioned, yes you know into a sailors bo,
knot: q brothers sturdy jack knit
present and the ring from her who's
promise true, Jack believes in as b
does his ship.
So they file on board. The han
mocks are all alike. The blue jacket
are all alike. But the mute lttl
boxes trundled along are many {
them carved like the desks in Viii
tiers school house. "With the lack
knife's rude initial" After awhile tn
hammocks are slowed away on th
berth deck and the rails along tn
white sides are thickly covered in blue
The hoarse orders of the officers al
re-echoed by the shrill whistles of th
BOatswain's mates and very 500
austere discipline will make that seen
ingly boyish set of men as docile an
obedient to the slightest word of con
mand even though danger and th
carnage of death should make the deck
run red with their blood, and this the
officers know very well, and for tn,
reason Jacks breach of peace new,
amounts to more than a few hours col
fnement and always on the side
leniency.
AS eight bells struck for 4 O'clocI
the sun which had been obscure
throughout the day shone and glistene
upon the polished white sides of Il
5 magnificent Columbia, above in Il
sky a patch of blue sky opposed itsC
to light clouds upon which the settir
sun rejecting reddish tints easi
; formed "Our Banner in the sky" {