The San Francisco call., 1895-11-25

on the Boston. her crew OF ZZ9 sailors
completed the train, her twenty-five or
thirty apprentice boys having not yet ar
rived from the East.
Arrayed in their bravest toggery and
marching with military precision the pro-
| cession of over 250 picked men presented,
in the estimation of the officers and their
families ana friends VINO attended the
function, fine appearance.
Officers and visitors grouped apart,
marines and sailors ranged in order on
her deck, the band in the midst playing
the National anthem, the colors were run
up to the masthead and saluted by the
reverent removal of caps, every eye liked
on the flag and every head remaining un-
covered until the last notes of the hymn
had passed away.
In the absence of Captain Henry L.
Howison, commandant of the yard, Com
mander Bowman III. McCalla, for Captain
Albert s. Barker, captain OF the yard, who
was detained home by illness, read the
commandant's order transferring the ship
to Captain Frank Wildes, Captain Wildes
read aloud the orders of the department
assigning him to the command, Lieu
tenant Albion Y. Wadhams assigned the
officers under him to their respective
duties, and the Boston was in commission.
Clearly it is not for nothing that Uncle
Sam has determined to man the ships of
the American navy with Americans. The
fine set of men that marched aboard the
Boston on Monday last certainly furnished
strong argument in favor of the new
policy. This carefully selected crew will
also furnish fair criterion of Judgment
as to the success and feasibility of the eX
pertinent. If this finer material is found
to compete in physical endurance with
the average European seaman, exhibiting
equal or superior mental alertness and
general adaptability, with the addition of
urp or
will have proved success; only the ques-
tion of feasibility as regards supply and
demand remaining to be decided. But IT
the American sailor turns out, physically
or otherwise, to be the legitimate product
of home spoiled, hothouse civilization
or even of free-school, cold-frame cul-
ture, tn preponderance of argument Will
be in favor of the Old World supply of
sailor-men - in every sense as rugged,
hardy and supple as the pines of their
native mountains.
NOTES.
Little Ella having quite recovered from
her late very serious illness, Mrs. Frank
Thompson, wife of Chaplain Thompson of
the Independence, is about starting home
ward from Chicago, and is expected to ar
rive in Vallejo with her little daughter and
her sister, Miss Carleton, on Tuesday or
Wednesday next.
Mrs. William ?. Elliott, wife of Lieuten-
ant Elliott of the Philadelphia, left San
Francisco on Tuesday last for Santa Bar
bara, where she will spend the winter
The two young Elliotts remain at school
in Sonoma.
Paymaster Henry T. SHIELDING was pres
ent at the banquet of the Loyal Legion,
held at the Occidental Hotel, San Fran
cisco, on Wednesday evening last.
Miss shedding is visiting in San Fran
cisco.
Captain and Mrs. Frank Wildes and Miss
Wildes are at the Bernard House, Vallejo.
Paymaster Henry T. Machette of the In
dependence is about settled with his fam
lily in their new abode-the cottage vacated
by Commander Charles e. Clark and fam
lily on their removal to the Independence.
Captain Albert S. Barker is confined to
the house by illness.
The Macarthur and Gedney are still at
photographic work in San Francisco Bay,
the continued pleasant weather being
favorable to their operations.
The Ranger has had to part with some
of her crew in order to complete the COM
plement of the Boston; also some of her
officers, the last being Ensign L. S. Will
son. who, detached from the Ranger OIL
the 18th, joined the Boston on the 18th.
All is quiet along the social Potomac.
chore is waiting till her ship comes in.
Talking about ships, the Monterey, the
Boston and the Albatross are the only
ships in port that are in commission.
The Mohican's fate hangs in the balance.
No doubt she is well worth the expendi-
ture of $50, 900 or $50, 900, but the romantic,
artistic, poetic old wooden ships are at a
discount anyway.
The Adams may have seen her best days,
but her worst are a long way off yet.
The navy-yard tug, the Unadllla, and
the double-turreted monitor Monadnock,
lie side by side along the seawall approach
ing completion.
Between the ferry gate and the caisson
of the drydock lies the Hartford, retaining
her beautiful original contour, if not much
of her oeiginaI material. 1t seems so rea-
sonable and so desirable that she should
be restored to the exact pattern of her
own historic model that it is almost in
credible that any man or body of men
could be so irrational as to make war
ship of her.
The Albatross is still tied to the big
buoy, and the seven other ships in port
(above named) are along the seawall.
Not only the dwellers along the Vallejo
water front will henceforth be charmed
and inspired with the music of Uncle
Sans mathis and evensong according to
the new regulations, but also the hill
dweIlers a long mile away, who. as the
hour bells strike at night, hear the senti-
nels on Mare Island cry, "Alfs well m and
at eight bells, midnight, "All's very
well!" IVAN DRAY.