The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-19
SOCIAL LIFE ON CRUISERS.
ETIQUETTE AT MESS, sfooK TohsTs,
AND sONGs AND sTORIBs.
why Al Naval Omcers Have Ep,curesn
TRstes-The Song OF the Kenrsnrpe-
Mysterious Charley Noble, J,mmyIeGs,
aud Others That Oniy sattormen Know.

. Mysterious Charley Noble, JtmmyleGs
aud others That oniy ssiiormen Know
The social side Of life In the navy centres
chiefly around the wardroom mess. Around
that table the senior officers eli. IL Is there
that guests are ~oftenest entertained. IL Is
there that tho social etiquette OF ship life Is
obsorVod-most strictly. Punctilious, and more
or less formal ms the social intercourse OF men
must I've who stand in tho relation Of superior
and subordinate. II IL recognized that the best
discipline on shipboard comes through q spirit
Of genuine courtesy. This spirit Of courtesy
gives n touch of happy informality TO n life
IN the Snrdroom, and makes men who arc
crowded together on q long cruise endurable
by one another. The social side Of their life
reaches n climax every Saturday night at din.
ner, when the presiding officer of tho mess
rises, glass in hand, and II lie Is a strict OBJ
server o. m says;
"Gentlcmcn, | pledge you the health of our
sweethearts and wives. May the wives all DO
sweethearts and the swcethcnrts all be wives"
II the presiding officer Is n man of few words
he says, but none The less heartily:
Let us drink to our sweethearts and wives.
God blesJ
with this n new social week has begun. II
will end on the next saturday night, whether
In port or on the sea, with ''Sweethearts and
Wives" Meantime the wardrooIn chat Will
go on from day to day and the Fourth Ward"
that part of the table where the younger on
GERS of the mess sit, which Is at the foot. will
bc:the nolsiest night after night. and the stew
ard of tho mess, who sits iuthe centre OF the
Fourth Wardcrs, directly opposite tho execu-
tive officer of tho ship. who presides by virtue
OF his rank, will cast n look of concern and
helplcssness toward the more dignlhed end
OF the table, in.tho' hope that his brother ON
GERS will never elecS him steward of the mess
again. No man chosen to that post of duty
may refuse to serve, and he must serve at least
two months. This rotation in the duty OF
steward IL what makes naval officers epicurean
N their tastes and skilled in the knowledge Of
the preparation OF choice dishes. II Is us much
n part Of their education and as necessary TO
their accomplishments as n knowledge Of navi-
CATION or of naval strategy. 1t is what makes
them probably the most agreeable entertainers
I'm the world.
The wardroom mess Is never filled until
dinner time. Tho first meal OF the day, by
force OF circumstances is n most informal sort
of affair. b breakfast at neon finds only part
of the mess there, because OF the many duties
OF tho officers. At dinner all are present
except one or two. and frequently these find q
way to get down to dinner. The "Wardroom
Country" that open space outside the state
rooms OF the wardroom officers, is absent in
many Of the new naval vessels. sacrificed. to
the need Of economy in space IN modern war
ships. and the wardroom mess is where the
officers linRer at night after dinner when the
daily routine is done. TO tell their stories. listen
to the songs. and discuss trifes. For be it
understood no serious topic is ever discussed
In the wardroom. Banter and persilage
rule there. II serious topics were discussed the
wardroom would be at skies and sevens the
whole time. Men who are required to dine
together would not be able to endure the sight
of one another. 1t would be easy for quarrelS
10 spring up. and their existence and results
would be detrimental TO discipline. A war
out religion; Hence the rule never to touch on
serious topics in wardroom life.
There Is always soI.e member who saw ser
vice In the civil war. and when occasion arises,
and the circumstances are just right, he can
TO spread over the faces of the younger set. as
they wonder whether they will ever have q
chance to display yaloT and their loSe Of Goun;
some one, who plays. the guitar or banjo or
one. hall Of them only a little bit. and the other
fairly well. with one or two good voices to help
out the rest and give zest to the whole; occa-
gives a Sing song to the other. and then the
wardroom of the chorus boat rings with an ex.
mcm"rnbie. ""sing songs" on the old Kerr.
sarge were always notable, especially II they
anniversary of the battle. when the Kearsarge
sank the Alabama off the harbor Of Cherbourr.
Kearsarge, and there was never a sing song
or other celebration on board when the "Kear-
vi NoDR. ms olt tltt tulu u III IntlilbTt' |
BILE fight, was not sung in wardroom and steer
age, between decks, and even on deck. The
sarGc on Roncador Reef. and the superstitious
among the sailormen say that the waves and
they rot on the reef. and that not until the
new kearsarge is built and atioat will the
sailormen and revive the memories OF IA glo.
On sLipi GARD the social grades are indicated
by the sharp lines drawn at mess. The Cap
tain dimes by himself. Then comes the ward
room mess. where the senior officers dine.
Junior officers, the Ensigns. cadets, assistant
engineers, and assistant surgeons dine. Then
there Isl separate mess for the lonesome war
rant officers. who belong neither among the
officers nor among the crew. They are gun
pointed by warrant, and not confirmed by the
Senate; Sometimes each has a separate state
only, two, Tor there is little need OF a sail:
chief petty officers. and finally, there are the
berth deck messes for the crew, where there
II the ship is a flagship. the Admiral dimes
alone; unless he and the Captain are Of con;
s sS"i"di lh '%s'S With The The Admi4ni Il It SA be aS OF s,ttf
to him. The chief OF staff is supposed 10 have
t tInSSsil OF Sh1 tbs C y ahe m ia I ,nc o The s @fISsr s'i La
vites the officers to dine with him il, rotation
room always invites the CAPTAIN to dine on
holidays. such as the Fourth OF July and
Iii
There is always room for a guest at the table
in every wardroom. ANY member Of tho
mess has the right to ask a friend to dinner
at almost any time, and on stated occasions
he wariroom. as a whole, invites guests.
These dinners are always something of a for
malitY. The officers are In their evening dress,
as are their guests. In some of the larger
ships there is room for eight or ten guests.
The cost of their entertainment is assessed
on the wardroom staff. When n person is
entertained as n guest Of a certain officer the
expenses fall on the officer who extended tho
Invitation. The same rules that obtain In
the wardroom hold good in the steerage, among
the junior officers, and In n crude was 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 tho officer
ot the deck taste their soup and eat q bite OF
their meat before II Is served out to them. IL
makes them feel that the social distinction
between them In the matter OF food. what
ever IL may be In the matter Of drink, is not
sO great after all.
Then there is a social duty observed by the
wnrdrOOm officers as To the matter Of calls.