The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-04-23

GERS, the cadets ensigns. assistant engi-
nsels and assistant surgeons dine. Then
there Is q separate mess for the lone
some warrant officers. those men be-
long NEITHER among the officers nor
among the crew. They are gunner,
"bos'n." carpenter and sailmaker APP
pointed by warrant and not confirmed by
the Senate. Sometimes each has Il sepa-
rate stateroom. but there are never more
than four on a. ship. and In some of the
new vessels there are only two, for there
Is little need of a sailmaker or Il bos'n.
Then there Is a mess OF the chief petty
officers and finally there are the berth
deck messes for the crew where there
are ten or dozen men to table.
If the ship is flagship the admiral
dimes alone. unless he and the captain
are of congenial taste. The adminal's
chief of staff also dimes with the admiral
If 1t be agreeable to him. The chief of
staff Is supposed to have small choice in
the matter. The social relations of the
captain to the other officers lie chiefly
around the captains table. He invites
the officers to dine with him in rotation
until all have been entertained. The
wardroom always invites the captain to
| dine with them on holidays. such as the
Fourth Of July and Christmas.
| There is always room for guest at
the table in every wardroOm. Any mem
Der of the mess has the right TO ask a
| friend to dinner at most any time and
| on stated occasions the wardroom, as n
| whole, invites guests. These dinners are
| always something OF a Formally. The
| officers are in their evening dress as are
| their guests. In some of the larger ships
there is room for from eight to ten
guests. Tho cost OF their entertainment
\ is assessed on the wardroom staff. When
a person Is entertained as guest of q
| tn. nEf Inn fu I've
officer who extended the invitation. The
same rules that obtain in the wardroom
| hold good in the steerage among the
! Junior officers. and In crude way in
| the messes of the crew. The members
OF the crew always feel somewhat in
| touch socially with the officers when
every day they see the officer of the
Deck taste their soup and eat bite of
their meat before It is served out to them.
It makes them feel that the social dis
tinct.on between them in the matter of
food. whatever it may be in the matter
of drink. is not so great after all.
Then there is social duty observed by
the wardGoom officers US to the matter
Of calls. Whenever a new captain comes
aboard each officer Is expected to pay
formal call on him. When an admiral
arrives or another ship Is added to the
squadron, the duty of paying calls Is
delegated to a committee. II every OIL
Ger wShe expected TO call on every otner
officer the series of calls would not only
be burdensome. but might interfere with
discipline. Therefore. a committee of
three is appointed in each wardroom
and this committee, with its engraved
card representing the officers Of the en-
eire)m pays the required social duties.
If new ship has arrived this committee
pays q call on all officers from admiral
down. The call is returned in the same
way as 1t Is rendered.
There are certain mythical personages
on every ship that have distinct stand
ing in the social intercourse of officers
and men. One of these Is Charley
Noble" No ship floats without Charley
Noble in its crew. simply because no ship
exists without galley stove-pipe. Char
ley Noble Is that stove-pipe. The, rela-
ton Of well-cooked food TO the domestic
life on shipboard is so close that the con-
dition of Charley Noble. who often b.
comes !indisposed, is matter of great
concern to every one on board. Charley
Noble Is always discussed seriously and
he neaO comes danperouslv nsar RI haipg