The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-18
THE SAILORS ENJOY 1T, TOO.
Making the Most of Their Time in
Port and How They Do IL.


The country people have gone home, but
May week is not over by 5ugfull. The
sailors from the warships are now doing
the town. They have just been paid Off
and appear to be animated with a desire
to spend all the money possible while in
the city, especially in the way of drinks
and cigars.
The saloonkeepers say that the sailors
will leave more money in the city than
the May week crowds. 1t isn't often that
they get ashore, and when they do they
endeavor to have as big time as posi-
BILE, because they know that it will be
long time before they get another chance
to go ashore and spend their money.
Although the sailors drink a good deal,
not one of them has gotten into trouble
here and they have had no difficulties
either among themselves or with citizens.
Many of them are very intelligent fell
lows, and citizens who have made their
acquaintance find them very ready to
talk about their life aboardship and their
experiences. The petty officers are we'll
posted lot of men, and talk very inteli-
gently of their duties and the general
management of their ships.
One does not have to talk very long with
a sailor to find out that he thinks himself
badly treated and that he hasn't the high
est opinion of some of his officers Their
chief grievance is in the matter of strict
confinement to the ships. 1t is very sell
dom that they get a chance to go ashore
and then they say the leave is very grudg-
ingly granted. If a man fails to report
promptly to the ship on the expiration Of
his leave of absence he is put in the
fourth class where all privileges are
denied him and it takes six months for
him to work back to first class again. dur
ing which time he is not allowed to go
ashore. Aboard ship the rules are very
rigidly enforced and the least infraction
is severely punished. This and the long
confinement to the ships is what causes
so many assertions, the men say.
If this was northern port, said one
of them, 'the men would desert like sheep
We are too far from home here though
There will probably be a few assertions
here, but not many"
The sailors are well pleased with their
treatment here and say that Savannah has
used them very kindly. In some places
the people regard us as if We were a lot
of wild animals" said one of the sailors
We like to be treated as if we were human
beings even if we are sailors"
The officers have been quite liberal in al
lowing the men to leave for all night, and
this gives the sailors a great deal of sat
isfaction. There was large crowd in town
last night. They were going and coming
all day yesterday, and fully a hundred Of
them must have visited the city. A boat
load of sailors and marines were leaving
the city exchange dock yesterday morn
ing Before the boat had pulled well out
into the stream one fellow jumped over
board and struck out for the shore. He
was followed by two more. They landed
all right and came back into the city, wet
but smiling They said they knew it would
cost them six months confinement to the
shiD but they didn't care. They were 60
ing 10 have a good time here as long as
their money lasted, no matter what the
consequences.
The sailors are mostly being paid off in
GOLD q nd a : a consequence the yellow metal
IS circulating quite freely just now.