The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16

A valuable Accomplished that Il. Onen
Neglected by the Sailor.

- ANuautt VIM - UthNu
Neglected by the Sailor.
The percentage Of bluejackets in the navy who
are unable to swim is sufficiently large to war
rant some surprise on tho part OF an inquirer.
Apprentices enter the naval service with no
more knowledge Of how to keep nfioat In tho
water than they have OF starboard. maintop-
gallant, studding sail boom, trlcinR line, block
ship. thimble, settings. In time, OF course, the
youngstcr Is bound to make tho acquaintance Of
the latter, but lac may become gray aud salty,
and perhaps rise 10 be bO's'n's mate, and never
learn TO swim.
In nine cases out OF ten the lack OF the accom-
plishment Is due to Jacks not taking advantage
OF the opportunities offered him. because he has
many chances to learn IL he only would. When
ships are riding at anchor in warm waters per-
mission to swim is often given to those who wish
1t, and there are enough swimmers in the ships
company to give instruction to the others. To
counterbalance the ones who DO not swim there
are many expert swimmers In the navy. From
the work he has to do Jack after q years service
is likely to be a splcndidly trained fellow. His
muscles are developed 10 their highest. and his
food and hours are such as to keep him In the
best OF physical trim. So when Jack is q swim
mer these conditions combine to make hin at
once n strong and graceful creature in the water.
He knows his abilities, and this leads him
intO Wubb IL ttuutc ihuubmhu "ikhb
consider foolhardiness. When the ship lies in
temperate waters, and swimming permission
has been given. the ships port lower boom is let
down into the water. This boom lies against
the ships side when she is under way, but when
at anchor Is used as the mOoring place for such
small boats and launches as may be in service
ut the time. A life line runs from the ship to
the topping lift which supports the boom. Tho
lowering OF the boom into the water gives Jack
a convenient but slightly hazardous way Of get
ting down. But the sailor swimmer generally
prefers to use the boom as q means Of getting
back to the ship after a dive from the rail or
some other vantage point. A dive from the rail
means q descent OF about eighteen feet in tho
case OF n frigatc. and moro In the modern
cruiser. This height is not so great as to dhunt
Jacks courage, and many sailormen have
or the flying jibboom, which is upward OF thlr-
ty-1vc feet from the water.
one drawback e, the sport sharks. The sight
Of a triangular black hn knitting its way through
the ", SSstS1 ,c. and nd the s sndd 4. oS SihIpTnin sn OF The water wSsp
seen from the safo deck OF a ship. but is no doubt
marrow freezing when yiewsd from the green
protected In such regions there would likely be
an unanswered name at roll call some morning.
had in the days Of the great fumliedi &frIsates Just
as he does further north. This is accomplished
forming a bag, and sinking il over the ships
side. When II has filled, the four corners are
lifted several feet out OF the water, and Jack has
an admirable nRtatorium, secure from sharks
and smdr large &c , and deep enough to admit of any
The fact that a bluejacket cannot swim has no
more effect upon, him In the discharge OF peril
Gus duty than IT. lie were a mermnn. He jumps
Into n boat on a life-saving errand when the sea
Is mountain high, and he knows that he may
never tread a deck again IL an angry wave
tumbles all hands out. lie goes alolt and lays
out to the end OF q yard when the ship Is tossing
about like n cork. and there Is nothing below
him but an. endless stretch OF roaring waves.
The yard 9uivers and groans: and Jack has TO
hold on Ike grim death, for one moments
looscning OF his grasp and he is snapped of into
space. This means nothing short ol drowning.
and yet that thought never seems to occur to
him. His life goes on, and perhaps the emcr-
gency OF his having to make some effort 10 swim
Jack cannot swim long enough for the swift
white boat. with Its bare-headed seamen Ia the
bow. to reach him.
Each ship of the navy is fitted with two life
buoys on the starboard and port rails aft. These
are constructed of a frame holding two large
upright, and there is a place on which the man
overheard may ind a footing. The buoy readily
~sustains a mans weight, and holds him COM
paratively high out OF the water II he stands on
the ~fOotrest below. When n man has tumbled
overheard at night and one OF both OF the life
rail pulls one Of two knobs over the buoy. This
fires n cap which ignites a long tube Of red fire
inserted In the main upright OF the buoy. The
other knob when pulled releases the buoy, and
long time and guides the luckless bluejacket.
Many a sailorman who could not swim has been
saved, by the celebrity with which the life buoys
have been dropped.