The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-24
NAVY OF TODAY
Condition Of the Blue jacket
of Modern Times
conTRAsTEo WITH THE OLD.
He Has increased Emcieucy, Beeter
Morrill,, smarter Appearance and
Improved Bearing.

The revived interest In building Up the
navy OF the United States and making II
oze Of the greatest naval powers in the
wo4la has Mace the subject one oil com
mon discussion. and the talk OF var Gas
had at least one good effect. and that IS
the spirit Of patriotism that has been
awakened
ship Of war has been made somewhat Ia
rallsar to the people OF this eity. owing 10
the fact that there Is generally varsnip
OF some character IN the harbor. and Also
because OF the close proximity OF the new
naval station ~ Port Orchard Seaya-
min Mieou. chief clerk Of the navy de-
partment has written a very interesting
article. contrasting the condition o. me
men OF the navy today with that Of ne
cid navy. The article follows.
Most Of the improvements In our navy
have been discussed in the magazines and
newspapers, but one. the progress made
toward lettering the condition OF the
sailor or eaiisted man. has almost escaped
public comment. There 10 vague M
PRECISION that life aboard ship conforms
more nearly than IL once did 10 the re-
qGirements OF modern civilization. biss
Just how or why Is not very clear This
- not stf6UKt, 10T TIC ADVANCE ulaAC IA
this direction. while marked. has been
most gradual and Is not easily seen with
out examining In detail the changes that
have betfered the condition Of the sailor.
When such an examination Is made and
comparison instituted between hiS4ormer
and present condition, the Improvement
that has taken place becomes very APP
parent.
our people take great pride In the ma
terial progress made In the navy. and II
Is presumed they feel a. much IL not .
greater pride In the improved condition
of the men who after all are the depen-
dence TO make formidable ships and
powerful guns a success. In case OF
war the thousands OF patriotic citizen ms
who are the nations bulwark Of defense
would be directly benefited by this i'm
pf ovsment. and letters received OF late At
the navy department evidence the fact
that there are many who In case OF
emergency are ready to serve their coun-
try in any capacity. from commanding
feet to hauling in a rope or scrubbing 4
deck
Those who have derived their idea Of
Jackey's lot from the thrilling romances
OF Capt. Maryatt. who. to quote his own
language. wrote of a time when the
kings name was warrant for every
species OF tyranny and unwarrantabIe
AoA1o@t- VI rum titc Qa1S Utk0Ie llc
'cat-o-nine-tails' was abolished in our
navy. have but faint conception Of the
improved condition OF the men who man
our war vessels.
Enforcement OF Discipline.
discipline is stIll rigidly enforced, as II
always must be in a military organiza-
ton. but the manner OF enforcing IL has
changed. Discretion has been largely
superseded by law, the rights Of the
sailor have increased and the cruelty OF
the punishments to which he was once
subjected have been diminished. No pun
ishment by logging. branding. marking
or tattooing can any longer be inflicted.
NO court-martial can now sentence any
one to death except by the concurrence
OF two-thirds OF the members present,
though other punishmenfs may be de-
iermined by a majority vote, and no
death sentence can be executed until IL
is confirmed by the president OF the Uni
ted States. The punishment imposed by
summary court-martial OF placing a
man on bread and water has to be re-
mitted when in the opinion of the surgeon
II would produce serious injury to the
ohtnders health Ameliorating influ-
ences have everywhere been at work. and
II Is sometimes heard that a Jackey has
become too much Of a lawyer and is more
concerned about his rights than his duties
but the weight of opinion comedies to him
increased efficiency. better morals, SMART
er appearance and improved bearing ss
contrasied with former DAYS.
"ChapS- In the manner Of enforcing dis.
cipline. however. is but one of many
Things that have tended toward the fYr-
provement OF the sailors condition. The
general trend OF naval DEVELOPMENT
has been in that direction. Much
OF the manual labor the sailor once had
70 40 IS no longer necessary, so that he
represents more strictly than formerly
.he nshnns force OF the ship. Great
masses OF canvas, for years the oniv
means OF propulsion. have been pract,-
caily banished Auxiliary engines dc
most OF the heavy work, and during
action men are nos exposed to an enenv's
Ere IN the performance OF any seamar-
snip duties. Anchors are raised hv steam
IN a tfacuon OF the time formerly re-
CURED, Boats are hoisted and the shin
$500 ara warped to her berth by the
control Of valve or the wort,,s 80
lever. An old sailing ship OF the live lee.
,nsn DO feet long and perhaps 20 Zoe,
"i1e, required more men 10 hand,. her
SANS and fight her guns than are nor
necessary TO man the largest batfIesbins
over twice her length and rs w.de ar.,r
oy hali The means OF Communicating
~ the snoTe used to be by row boats
With required men at the oars now
every ship has her steam cutter "a frr-
nish easy and rapid Communicated III,
the shore and TO tow boats eoo,a,,,,.
lstAihS parties Some OF the rarva s.t,s
nave TWO or even three OF these c,,t,ars
snd IN some instances electricity Is use3
Tor propeiling small boats These ho,.s
are All larger but at the same tire Nx.,-
~tu more seaworthy, than their Older
- ana many OF them carry air tanks
-ha-.-
and greatly diminish the CHANCES 80 -
OF life among their crews.
Provision for the Mems yr.a,,k
new ships their efficiency a. ssbfi-- -
chimes has neither BEEN los. ssght =, -
sac'iiioed. careful consideration has hcer
siNeh TO the healthful.ess. confer. "a
convenience of the men who are 20 -
them their homes. ma NC
re only ventilation Of the ola xh,,
- sn.0ush the gun ports and matches
.'ss.s'e4 OCCASIONALLY 10y wind sails A.r
i%Sfe were rarely used being 80 .,,,sH
ana clumsy that they we're air,os, -.
10 leak. and when occasionally, ff,,s.s -.
never E8oFe than SIX or SAve- ,,~h a.
1iAiHe'ef- The lover deck ana hoid
spaces SeTe damp dark ana unnc,t,h..
= considerable portion % the crex e.
- - "Neo on the underwater deck
y IN Mite or no comforts and ~xr-nsst -
sc kness from proximity to decayes 49,,
az. o'lSe water. II vas rext 10 I,,,os-
sihie 10 stamp out conta<in,ls or fnFcr-
''g1s diseases once introduced on hoars
Almost the only way was hy a vo,,sse =, =,
sV'a climate, where all the cr~w va
'aseh on until the ship could BE- bros<s-
- 'noToashiy cleaned and all decayed
-. removed and replaced by new. Tho
s. .as'.l'l''of. oi steel Tor wood in the con-
struction - vessels has. however rhs,--
ed al this ard contributed largely :,
CLEANLINESS ard hesifhfuIness-