Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-08
other, reminding one Of group Of
pouter pigeons standing together.
A STRIKING FIGURE.

other, reminding one or group or
pouter pigeons standing together.
A STRIKING FIGURE.
The most striking figure among them
is the young lieutenant OF marines, for
he wears the richest uniform, the longest
sword, and generally also the proudest
torso OF anybody In the group. 1t 10
$50. and again the bugies call to duty.
this time in a quick staccato strain, and
in less than half a minute the ward
room Is emptied.
It would take a book, In fact II does
take a book-the Naval Regulations-to
describe all that goes on officially IN
q ship of war through the day, but the
present concern 10 with only a part OF
1.-THE ward-room and its doings, both
unofficial and official. Immediately after
quarters" the officers put the crew
through the daily routine Of drills. On
certain days the crew Is exercised In
what is called the setting up drill"
which IL intended TO develop every muscle
in the body. The line oficers-that is. the
ensigns and lieutenants-have charge
of this and go through the drill with
them. On other days the drills OF aban-
doninT the ship. OF preparing for battle,
OF saving the ship I'm case OF collision
or Of handling the great guns, are gone
through with. Every day that the wea-
Their permits. both at sea and In port
one or more of these exercises takes
place. and there are others besides. BY
10:3o O'Clock they are finished.
Suppose that the executive officer, who
ranks next to the commanding officer.
takes advantage of the ship being In
port to have an extra drill and TO send
the younger line officers out in the small
boats TO exercise the crew In rowing.
The other line officers have work at their
desks, and returning TO their rooms. lay
aside the sword for the pen. The stan
oficers-that is, the engineers, the sur
geons the paymaster. and the chaplain
have already done the same. except the
engineers. who have plenty to do In
the engine-room. Ii may be that some or
the officers In the wardroom have for
the moment no work at al TO do. and
that a book or a newspaper takes It's
place. navy mans work is often spas
modic he is required to be always ready
for duty, and yet is often compelled to
wait for orders from his superior. To-day
at 11:3o all work In ~ ward-room Is
suddenly suspended. TSs is caused by
the appearance Of group Of strange on
GERS In glittering uniforms. They are
visitors from sister ship OF the fleet,
and their act Of politeness is duty re-
quired of them by naval regulations. CT
talk Ii OF naval matters. The visit is ra-
Their a ceremonious affair. although tho
people on both sides may be old friends.
But naval officers are past masters In
the difficult art of possessing both un-
| official and official characters without ever
confusing the two.
The visitors have gone having inter-
rupted everybodys work. but as yet not
having spoiled anybody's temper. which
| Is further preserved by the announcement
| that breakfast is ready. This meal Is at
Il o'clock. and resembles a Frenchman's
dejeuner a la fourchette. Everybody Is
present except the officer OF the deck.
who IL never present at anything below.
| for the reason that II Is his duty to
stay on deck for four hours. and du-
| ring that time to overlook everything that
goes on there. II the ship were under
way the navigating lieutenant and the
engineers might also be absent. There Is
an element OF informalIty and restless
ness about breakfast, for II takes place
In the middle of the working day. and
any officer may be called away from the
table TO sign some paper or to answer
some question of the commanding officer.
WORK RESUMED.
At 1 o'clock the table is cleared, and
work is resumed. For the next two or
three hours the ward-room contains with
In its confined limits as many scenes from
different occupation Of men as are visible
at an Oriental bazaar. In the third room
on the port side, which Is the senior sur
geon's. that officer is dosing a young en-
sign. and lecturing him for not taking
| care of himself. In the paymasters room,
| Just next door. the safe Is open and two
anxious young naval cadets are begging
him not to keep them penniless until the
end of the month. discharged blue
Jacket, abashed by his presence In off,
GERS quarters, Is also at the door waiting
to be paid of. The paymaster's room be-
| ing rather small for the exigencies OF his
profession, he uses his berth for desk.
and gold and silver coins rest pic
| turesouely on his pillow. Out in the
'.ward-room country"-for that Is the
term applied to the space on which the
rooms open, II being large territory to
| a man who lives IN q place feet by 10
a hatch has been opened In the deck and
a d.shevelled man called the jack-of-the-
dust u tossing UP from the bowels OF
the ship blankets and clothing to sailor,
while an ensign oversees the strange
| eruption.
On the vard-room table the navigator
"a threading out enormous charts, thus
monopolixing the public table and causing
erowis from the senior watch officer and
the CAPTAIN of marines, who are mea-
surfing swords at a game OF chess.
The chief engineer Is comforting In his
room with a machinist and making cal
culations of steam pressures with deli
cate scientific instrument Across the
way the officer who is caterer for the
mess ia discussing dinner with the stew
ara and pinching . string Of partridges.
Tn another room an ensign Is writing
fur,ously on some court-martial records
which have to be ready for the captain >
insnection at q certain hour, in the chap
laIn's room he and an assistant engineer
are having an earnest discussion on lneo-
SONNY 10 which creed the latter Is sus-
pected to belong. Over in the executive
ofscers room, the first one on the star
hoard side. that gentleman Is administer
ing a solemn oath TO a newiy-enisted
man who Is vowing TO stand BY his
country and IT, Constitution under any
Amid all these varied occupations there
are heard. Unexpectedly. the sweet notes
- GUITARS and the subdued voices OF
colo, Cd bows out in the pantry. The off,
GERS do not forbid II; 1t disturbs nobody:
ON the contrary. II has the charm OF all
accidental music. and II any ONCE. be
hehtnd his curtain writing letter home
there IA little doubt that the sweetness
ar this unexpected strain slips into his
ALL QUIET.
80 h. ~