The morning times., 1895-08-18
Hot Weather Pastimes of Of
fiCerS and Men.
HARD DAYS ON PRIVATES
They Drill With the Mercury Climb
ing Up, but Have Some Time
Sports Indulged In-Archery and
Boating Among the Ladies'.

SONS of Mars and Neptune who are camped
and anchored in and near Washington are
complaining Of the weather just as much
as the plain, everyday civilian.
The blue-coated boys are outspoken In
their criticism OF the way in which Chief
Moore, of the weather bureau, is rubbing
1t in on them, while the navy yard fellows
say that they wish that the little cherub
who sits up aloft" would get in his work
Just about now.
A soldiers life is at all times a hard one,
and especially is this true in summer. The
long, fatiguing drill in hot weather is
severe ordeal, and one through which but
few men can daily pass for any length Of
time without showing some marks. The
gun on days such as these seems to weigh
| about forty pounds and the metal to be RED
hot. The sun burns and bliSters the un-
| fortunate drilIers until they are ready to
sink from exhaustion. 1t is quite natural
that under such circumstances the men
! grow confused md mistake ORD RS, that
the officer gets angry and says and does
| things which he afterward wishes he hadleft
unsaid aud undone.
4nS III dl l4IltI hCSEIS LIS i4iCh az ~ AsAiAs
shine, snow, or blow The humane but con-
! considerate officer tempers his judgment
with mercy, and II is ouly justice to add
| that the daily drills of the marines at the
navy yard have been discontinued until
the warm wave retires.
PRIVILEGES OF AN OFFICER.
! The officers do not, of course, have such
| a hard time as their men. They cal obtain
| leaves ef absence in goodly numbers, if
| the Secretary of War or Navy, according
| to which service the individual belongs
| to, has no charges entered against him.
Those who have money apply for leave,
get it and HE themselves to seashore or
mountain resort Their less fortunate
| brethren, who are not possessed of
sufficiency of this worlds goods to
to enable them to indulge in this, are con-
| tentto stay at home and see kcunfortas S well
| as they can.
The families of the officers quartered
| at the Arsenal, Navy Yard, and Barracks
| generally decamp as summer comes on and
de not return until fall. Some few remain,
| however, as matter of choice. These
seek amusement and recreation rig at the
pest and are seldom required to go outside
fer pastime and pleasure.
These three stations were visited by
| Times reporter with q view to discovering
just how the officers and men kept cool
The principal topic of conversation
and discussion is how to keep cool, al
though games and amusements occupy
their share of attention.
The life of a marine at the navy yard is
! one round of routine work. AT 6:l5 sharp
the sound of reveiIle is borne across the pa
rade ground to the ears of the slumbering
marines, and woe betide the poor fellow
who heeds not its summons and fails to
present himself at the breakfast table on
the Z 80 tick Parade follows an hour later,
while guard mount comes at $50.
Half-past bring the sick kcallandat 1915
is the room inspection. The event OF the day
is the drill at 1890. During such period
of hot weather as we are now experiencing
this drill is enough TO make the strongest
man fall.
DRILLING IN THE SUN.
The exertion required is enormous, and
the sun which pours down is as relentless
to the poor, heavily uniformed and accou-
tired fellow as the over-ZealOus and unthink-
ing officer The military regulations and
customs leave il to the discretion of the drill
ing officer to do away with the daily drill
whenever the conditions or weather are un
favorable Many officers in their zeal and
enthusiasm do not avail themselves OF this
privilege, but continue the duty in the most
tnclement and the most torrid weather. The
drill is carried through at brisk pace fol
an hour At ten minutes OF noon canteeni
are opened, and at half past sounds the wei
come dinner bell
Despite the hot weather, the men seek
amusement and pursue it until called to
partake of the evening meal at $50. The
national game of baseball is the fayoritf
sport, and whenever the opportunity pre-
sents itself the men are not slow about
beginning to play.
The men quartered at the Marine Bar,
racks and at the Navy Yard have not
much space in which to play, but at both
OF these posts quite crowd was batting
up and catching when The Times dropped
in on them the other day.
They were playing bail with all the
Zest and zeal of tried and true warriors
and the leather-covered sphere was batted
and fielded in style worthy of pro
fessIonal ball player.
The men say that the officers do no
object to this, as it affords practice. a
, catching cannon balls, which may come