The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06

didnte 10 beyond the stempeding stage. the 70
cruiting officer promptly tells him TO hold up
HIS right baud. and he Is sworn in without
ing carefully mensured according TO the Bertil-
Ion system, he Is turned over TO the paymns-
ter's clerk TO draw his uniforms and small
stores. The blue jacket, unlike the soldier, is
obliged to nay for his own clothing. A newly
enlisted.l andsmRn has To draw about $40 worth
of uniforms and other necessary gear In order
to permit him 10 make q proper showing at In
speu.ions. and unless he has enough NOR oy TO
pay cash, the cost Is taken from his monthly
pay OF SID. lie thus draws no money from the
Government FOR his services for three
months, nor is ho allowed to have shore
the payamster's stores are entirely paid for.
1t does not hnppcn once In a thousand times
that n newly oulisted landsman has enough
funds in hand when he ships to cover the cost
OF the clothes he draws from tho paymaster.
l'gned ont IN his new blneia,ket uniform.
lous IN II, the green landsman is turned loose
on tho "Guardo," tho sailors lame for the re-
thing for a day or 40. In order that the feeling
OF newness which usually Possesses him may
have a chance 20 wear on; ii' first nigh, IN
during the night, 10 a dismal experience. and,
nll in all, the first few DAYS of the landsmnn's
things hllarlously happy. For The gloom
which may enshrnnd him amid surroundings
FACT strange iSTt m sssTS + r s"@ th fo% timss 4 soI In t ths
Guardo meals are always ',.squares' In COM
parison with The less attractive food served out
III W. " IINEuNh wa " Jill hid AIIeI
a couple OF days OF this comparative tran.
guilty the landsman In the new uniform is
likely to hear his name sung out by the gang
way boR;swain's mate for exercise IA a work
Ing party Mt turn 70, In the morning. and from
that time on he IL kept steadily mployed on
board The receiving ship or around the navy
yard. doing heavy and not always oleanly
chores under tho direction of old twenty-voars'
service men. until he Is regularly assigned to a
vessel In active cruising service. Naval re-
cruits are rarely kept aboard q receiving ship
more than n month.
Toge her with q yood-sized batch of recruits,
shouldering their hRmmocks and ditty bags and
boxes, the landsinan is sent to the ship which
Is likely to be his only home for three years.
As the new men 60 over the gangway OF the
ship to which they are nssiR ned, thev are suo-
tect d to. u close. summary, and critical In
conipany. who make an invariable practice to
assemble on these occasions In order to make
the recruits feel rs small aud uncomfortable
us pussibla as they stand. on the half deck
waiting for their names to be called out 10y tho
officer of the deck. The lan6smnn IL then
taken In hand by the master-st.nrms and gets
" to DO known To the officers than by his name.
He learns where to so " his clothing and ham
mock. gets n messkit. and is In the vortex OF
Ire on n man OF war. Il defends largely upon
eventually gets the brass buttons of a chief
lefty officer. With the accompanying ease and
comparative ilgnity OF Il man who holds such
self with tho opposition, party of kickers and
no-acconnts who are, DESERVING or getting
them, elves ''benchedn' In various parts of the
has to work hard for his $40 a moath, aud his
work Is not any more dainty than IL the prepa-
ration or the food he cate, but no man who
amounts to ANYTHING wears, the single white
band on tho sleeves OF his shirt for any greet
length of time. II has frequently happened
that clever fellows who nave gone into tho
their first cruise as chief petty officers, draw.
ing from 500 TO $40 a month.