Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-04-25

IL is likely to be Increased nu-
merically by the new Congress.
More of these fighting men are
needed for the battleships which are be-
ing addeG to the Navy. At present they
number only about 1000. 1t is begin
ning to be realized that few more bat
talions OF these hardy fellows are
required to garrison Uncle Sans floating
! fortrasses. A marine Is sea soldier,
highly disciplined, with sea legs aud
sea stomach; Gltrained gunner and sharp
! shooter, able and accustomed to do every
/ thing a sailor does, except going alof-.
| But going aloft is an obsolete practice
on modern war vessel, which carries
TO sails, having only one mast, called the
"military mast" with two tops, whence
rapid firing guns are designed to hurl a
shower of projectiles against the enemy.
The new style man-o'-war's man is
rather soldier and a mechanic than a
| sailor. He forms an integral part of a
body of regular troops, housed in an
enormous mass of floating machinery,
which is lighted and ventilatei by cleo
tricity. Only a few sailors are really
needed on board such ship, tor handy
work OF certain kinds. Vessels for coast
I defense are best manned wholly by sea
soldiers. The Naval Reserve now be-
ing organized and trained as sort Of
| ocean militia, is really body of marines
though the men composing it arc dressed
| in sailors clothes.
The idea which they represent is not
! at all an economical one, inasmuch as
they get seamen's wages. Oddly enough,
the pay of sailors is nearly twice what
! marines receive. A marine is allowed
only S13 month during his first term OF
enlistment, whereas a seaman gets S24 a
! month, and even a lubberly landsman on
a vessel is worth SIS. The reason for
this difference is simply that sailors are
difficult to get and to keep, so that their
value is higher in the market.
Thus, 1t is readily seen that great
saving would be made by reducing the
number of seamen in the Navy and in.
creasing the force of marines.
Experts are of the opinion that war
ships complement of men should be moi
less than three-fourths marines. It is
rather interesting to consider the fact
that the first beginning OF navy for this
country was the raising of two battalions
of sucl sea soldiers by the Continental
Congress in 1175. Since then they have
formed part of the company of every
sea going vessel belonging to the Govern.
meut. Forces of them are regularly
stationed at Newport, Boston, Brooklyn,
Washington, Norfolk, Sitka in Alaska
aad six other places. (
Will s,,.~-ai.5 C"UIv caLns property
at those points they are being trained to
take the place of other marines who are
doing sea duty on board of ships. Near
while they are ready to be called on as
regular troops in case of riot, fire or
other emergencies. How useful they are
on such occasions will be presently
shown. Whenever there is trouble at
any port where a United States vessel
may be, a force of marines is landed to
restore order and maintain it, just as was
the case only the other day at Honolulu.
The headquarters Of the Marine Corps
is at Washington. Officers assigned to
this branch of the service on leaving
Annapolis are trained for one year in
school at the barracks here before join
ing any ship. They are taught how to
make cartridges, port-fres, signal lights
and rockets, learning also how to manu-
facture explosives, fuses, tOrpedoes and
other engines of destruction. They are
instructed in the art of preparing and
controlling submarine mines, at the same
time getting an acquaintance with the
uses of red hot shot. They are drilled
in all sorts of tactics, such as have refer
ence to the crossing of rivers and thread
ing of defiles in the presence of tho
enemy, as well as night attacks.
They find out how to build walls will
loop-holes, and acquire o knowledge OF
the methods by which the bundles OF
sticks called fascines ard gabions are put
together and built in with enbankmcnts
Of earth to give the latter solidity. Be-
sides all this they hear lectures and pass
examinations on first aids to the injured,
comprising the treatment of the gunshot
wounds, frost bites, poisoned sounds,
fractures, and the restoration of persons
partly drowned.
Perhaps the most picturesque feature
of the corps is the Marino Band. This
band is considered in a manner to belong
to the President of the United States. 1t
is always at his disposal, SO thu. the finest
music is at his command whcnevcr he
cares to listen to it. At White House
receptions it is on hand with its most
me!odious strains. Every member of it
must enlist in the ordinary way and serve
Eve years as a private at S13 q month,
after which ne may be promoted through
the grades of first, second and third-clag
musician.
Mr.. Sousa, who has made his reputa
tion as leader of this musical orgauial- |
ton, was himself a child of the Marine |
Band. His father was member of It, |
and he himself was trained in it as u |
small boy. Twenty-Five drummers aai |
buglers temporarily attached to the baud |
ore always in training at the barracks |
mere. They are boys enlisted at the age |
OF fourteen to sixteen, and they serve By
enlistment up to twenty-one, when thsy
are assigned to ships. 1t is their duty |
in the service to sound the calls to
quarters in the morning, for hosting or
pulling down the flags, etc., whether Oh
shore or on board.
During the cholera scare of last sum
ner the marines encamped at Sandy
Hook kept guard over the people who
were landed from the infected vessels
end prevented them from getting away
to spread the plague. Fifty of them
were sent from Washington. Within
foity minutes from the receipt of tele-
gram calling for them they had started |
By train from the Navy Yard. During I
The frightful hurricane at Samoa, which
cost the United States Navy so dear,
United States marines took charge Of
The town of Apia and held control there
Until all danger of trouble between the
Germans and Americans was over.
There are actually horse marines in
The service of the United States, but
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