The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-07-26
LKFE AT CAMP LONG.
How the Amateur Tars Spent a Pleasant
 Week.


 The Naval Reserves were seen ana heard in the city again on Saturday evening, when they returned rom Camp Long on Fishers Island, covered with glory and sunburne, mostly sun burns.
 The Reserves broke camp carry sat urdav morning, Reveille was sounded at o'clock, breakfast halt hour laler, and shortly afterwards the command was given to break camp. AS soon as the order was given the men Of the New Haven division at once set their hands and feet at work in manner that has seldom been rivalled for speed. The reason of the unaccustomed celer- ity was the fact that Commander BUCK land had offered the division g. silver loving cup if they broke camp and got everything aboard the Richard Law 1n- side of an hour.
 Did they do it? History will record the fact that they did. Some of the land tars boldly assert that the ueeu was done in about twenty-eight mln- utes. while some of the more conserVa- tive among them nsodestly reckon the time at forty minutes. At any rate' the thing was done in remarkaoAS short time, and the white-tented Village on the northern slope of Flshers lsla1iu had been plotted out of existence ana the sight and minds of the summer girls of the Island.
 The Hartford boys also attempted speed at camp breaking, but they were not in 1t little bit, and the New Ha.- ven sailors had their camp all cleareo' while several of the Hartford tents were still standing. This was put one instance of the good-natured r1Valry which existed between the two dlVl- sions. The Hartford boys won py slight margin in g. signalling contest, and were greatly elated. The turn or the New Haven boys came on the cut ter race, in which the Elm City oars men pulled across the line well aneao of their up-the-river competitors, who had started having the advantage or the best cutter of the Maine, which ad- vantage they had still further increas- ed by their stripping the cutter of all needIess rigging. The New Haven boys also had one or two more passen- gers than the other crew. It was a great race and the winning crew were roundly cheered by their fellow New Hayeners. Some of the crew said that they could have rowed the race over again: but what winning crew could not? ...
 It took a long time for the New Ha- ven contingent to reach the city, in spite of their early start in camp. They delayed a long while on the dock, ap- parently for the sake of delay, and then to give a parting salute of seven with the brass llowitzer. As a consequence of these delays and the slowness of the Richard Law, which has never been dubbed '"The Flyer of the Sound,' the division did not reach home until after 5 o'clock, and the battery drill on the green. which had been planned for 5:30, was given at 6:30. Very few people were on the green at that hour, but the firing with the Hotchkiss guns soon assembled a large crowd, who witness ed one of the most creditable battery drills given in this city. The division were dismissed at the armory at a lit tie after o'clock, and the tired veter- ans of the weeks cruise went home to rest up and cure sunburns, with the conplacent thought filling their breasts that they had served their country well in a bloodless strife.
 On the whole the week in camp was a very satisfactory one To be sure the
  men are supposed to be accustomed to all sorts of weather. Much of the time was spent on board the Maine, where the boys found It more comfort able than in the water-soaked camp.
 There was considerable divergence of opinion openly expressed as to the qual- ity of the food served, always a vital point whether in camp or at home. As usual. there were quite g. large number of gentlemen who were loud and long ir their denunciation of all the table ar engagements. To their somewhat criti- cal eyes the pure boards of the tables showed beneath the table linen so con- spicuously absent in camp life. Then too, the soup and coffee were colder in the iron plates and cups than it Is in similar utensils of china It may be said in apology for the camp chefs that 1t is somewhat difficult to serve dinners Delmonico fashion in tents exposed or all four sides to the air and with the temporary cooking arrangements suct as were used at Camp Long. It is probable 1t can be done, however, and everybody satisfied. It would seem as a snap judgment, however, that fancy dishes are not exactly requisite for 6 military encarnpment and the food al Camp Long was of substantial char acter and sufficient quantity, such . one with the ordinary appetite engen- dered by out-of-door living could eat without any qualms of conscience yol stomach Beer was served at some meals as a beverage, one of the things that has subjected the battalion to con- siderable adverse outside criticism. Il may be said that many of the mer found it better to drink soft drinks an6 took their drink rations that way. Ii may perhaps be questioned whether the health of the men and the discipline of camp would nto have been bette, conserved by other arrangements. Int precedence for the serving of beer is found in the United States navy. There however, the regulations as to provid ing beer and against drunkenness art
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