The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-24

eHor< has been MADE TO obtain better
ventilation AID insure plenty Of pure air.
Ine height OF the estxeer-deck spaces,
forfaeriy about 81 feet. Is nor often as
ana never less than 2. with lights Of good
clear glass. and the UPPER deck ports are
much as feet and never less than :
Aooern air ports are usually z inches
30 constructed as TO be easily opened TO
admit liberal supply OF air. Our new
ships can Be thoroughly dssinfecsed at
guarantee stations within . few days.
Formerly the only sick bay was the
cock pit which was small. dark. damp.
lacking n ventilation and difficult 10 &c,
TO- II was selected because of its ioca-
ton on the oriop deck, which was the
lowest deck Of the ship and out Of the
range OF shot In time Of action Now the
SICK bay Is ample IN size. well ventilated
heated and lighted. Is in the most access
seie part Of the ship, and Is provided with
. dispensary and almost all the modern
eonven.ences that could be found in ar
hospital on shore The prison. which was
usually on the oriop deck. or In the fore
peak. was without light heat or pure air.
ana the confinement Of a man in such
place now would scarcely be counten-
anced by civilized nations
In the Early Days.
1T has become customary TO consider
~ many ttHtcEicStS< as essential 10
health and comfort which were unknown
on board ship in the early days Of our
navy that looking back II Is hard to un-
derstand how the sailor used TO live amid
the discomfort and exposure 10 which ne
was subjected. A bucket OF sea water
offered the most elaborate bathing faciii-
ties that any one on board could have. A
limited number Of small stoves. few. far
between and totally inadequate to heat
the ship. were sometimes supplemented by
q hot cannon ball or brick placed con-
venientiy for the men to get TO with their
wet and half frozen feet. The only Hight
was an occasional candle sparsely used
for fear of fire. Hammocks were slowed
On the main rail in racks exposed to the
weather. The water supply for the entire
cruise was carried In casks and often be-
came unfit for use before II could be re-
newed. Fresh food could not be kept
ice was a luxury undreamed of. and the
staple diet was hard tack. salt pork and
terked beef. A few cork life buoys were
carried dashed to the rail. II man fell
overheard one Of these was cut loose and
thrown to him. but even In the daytime
his chances of reaching 1t were slight.
and at night he was almost sure to miss
It. The cooking galieys were frequently
so installed that the heat from them ren-
dered the living spaces OF the ship I'M
bearable. Now ample facilities for bath
ing are provided for everybody on board.
The ship is as comfortably heated
throughout by steam as are the modern
houses In our cities. and every portion Of
1t Is lighted BY electricity. A well-selected
library furnishes opportunity for improy-
ing hours on duty. Hammocks are pro-
tected by covered tops and tarpaulins to
shield them from the spray and the damp
ness. Clothes lockers and neat ditty
boxes have taken the place Of the canvas
bag. a none too secure hold-all for the
sailors clothes and treasures. while mess
tables and benches have superseded mar
row bones and the bare simplicity of a
holystoned deck. Most OF the water used
is absolutely pure. being distilled on
board. and the only supply carried Is for
use In an emergency and II Is kept In
clean iron tanks. Most of our ships have
on board a machine for manufacturing
ice and a refrigerating plant with its cold
storage room. SO that fresh. provisions
can be kept for weeks or months II nee
essary. Life buoys are arranged at con-
venient stations along the side. and at
the cry OF a man overheard the pressure
or a finger win release any one Of them
which as 1t floats Is marked in the day
by a column Of smoke and its upright
standards and at night by a brilliant
phosphide of calcium fame ignited imme-
diately upon contact with the water.
For the Inner Man.
The sailor not only has fewer hard
ships and less exposure to the dangers Of
the sea. but the inner man is better cared
for. Ships are oftener in port than for
merly. and when there fresh meats and
vegetables are served three or four times
a week In lieu Of salt rations. The num-
Der OF articles included in a navy ration
has greatly increased. For instance.
dried fruit used to mean dried apples or
peaches, now 1t includes raisins currants.
prunes. figs. dates or any other kind Of
dried fruit that can be obtained. Canned
vegetables. which used TO be unknown,
now cover all the staple vegetables found
canned In any first-class grocery. Under
preserved meat is included every. prepara-
ton OF meat intended to keep 1t from
rapid deterioration, whether by canning.
smoking. drying. picking or packing, ex-
cepting salt beef and salt pork. which are
designated by law as 'salted meats and
issued under that head. The very best
coffee is bought green, and has to pass
inspection by the inspector of coffee ex-
change OF New York before purchase.
This coffee is roasted and ground under
direction of the government and put up
in twenty-hve-pound cans for issue to
ships. While the ration is prescribed for
each day Of the week. by law. there are
certain substitutes allowed which furnish
variety, and by the men combining and
one man drawing one thing and one an
other they actually procure a still great
er variety when the articles are cooked
and served up to them
Pay OF Enlisted Men.
THE pay OF enlisted men has very
much increased. In 1876 an ordinary sea-
man received SO a month. a seaman sl2.
boatswain's mate and gunner's mate
each s1s. In 1854 the pay had advanced
and an ordinary seaman received SIG,
seaman 80, a boatswains mate and gun
ner's mate. first rating. each ST. Now an
ordinary seaman receives SO, seaman
ga. and boa,swain's mate and gunnef's
mate, first class, each $40. The advance
OF pay OF enlisted men in all the other
ratings has been about the same as In
those cited above
Provision Is made for old sailors, who.
after serving long and faithfully. have
become unfit for further duty. A home
has been provided for them at Philsdei-
phia, supported and maintained from the
income of the naval pension fund This
home has at present ZIG inmates. each
of whom has the privacy OF a separate
room and receives monthly a pound and
half OF tobacco and s. for pocket
money. They have q liberal quantity OF
clothing; medical attendance and medi-
oines, are free. the table is supplied with
plenty OF plain but wholesome food. There
IS a library containing some 700 or more
books. and with periodicals and daily
papers kept on file. and these old sailors
receive careful attention and nursing IN
their declining years They are under
fex restrictions. being allowed TO go In
and out of the grounds during reasonable
hours and to do pretty much as they please
so long as the few restrictions necessary
TO preserve order are not infringed- In
Judgements Of discipline are punished b.
deprivation OF liberty, stopping monthly
allowance of money and tobacco. and IN