Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-10

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-N seventy-gun frigate
~ EW1SlD OF the old American
Nv M navy, in the progress
aN&SME!A ! of his inspection of
/V|AA the living quarters
Nv of officers on a mod
ern man-of-war of the United States. For
instance, John Paul Jones, the barnaclcd
eagle OF the western ocean (Which, man-of-
wars mans patois, Is the Atlantic), pass
Ing speechlessly through the ward and
mess rooms of the Columbia or the Olym-
pia or the San Francisco or the later
Brooklyn-one can almost see the stupe-
faction engraven on the American Nelson's
plastic countenance at the things he would
see therein. Or hardy Decatur, punsher
of bronze-hued barbarians, as well as
trouncer of white oppressors, who was
several times reduced to the use of
powder on his victuals for lack of salt
Decatur sinking his soles in the padded
oriental rugs spread in the smoking room
of modern American farship-he can al
most be heard muttering of sybaritism on
such a tour. Or SILENT rugged Farragut,
seaman of blood and iron, stepping flush
from the spar deck of his old flagship
Hartford Into the library and reception
room of the ward room officers of the Min
neapolis-it would be worth while to see
the surprise of a saiier whom the sudden
midnight assaults of fdrtresses could not
surprise. For, in so far las comfort is con-
cerned, the chief petty officers on an Amer
lean man-of-war of this day are better off
than was Admiral Farragut, commander of
the fleet, on his flagship.
A ward room officers three-year cruise
on a modern American warship is fine
yachting. All the space abaft the main
mast Of the man-of-war Of today is
floating club. In a few of the great cities
there are. perhaps more superbly fitted
Clubs than the quarters of naval officers on
first-Class cruiser, but they are not many.
The wonder is not great that so many
naval officers of this day seek practically
perpetual sea duty. .ts-=--.
More Fun Than the skipper.
The ward room officer has a good deal
mere fun than the skipper in his cabin
for the. pail of solemn dignity rests upon
the cabin Of the comman ding officer of a
ship of war; and captains Of men-of-war
have been known to secretly pine for re-
newal Of ward room joys. ward room
officer, be it understood, is any naval officer
who has jumped from the rank OF ensign
and who has not yet attained the rank of
commander Ward room officers range in
rank from junior leutenants to lieutenant
commanders, the single lieutenant com
mander of the ward room being the execu-
tive officer of the ship, the McGregor at
the head of the ward room table. and the
best man on the ship after the skipper.
For the ensigns and practice-cruising ca
diets there is a miniature ward room,
known the steerage, unless the ship be
small. of the third or fourth class, when
all Of the officers, from cadet to first
huff" de, executive officer, live together
in the ward room and feast together in the
mess room. This is the reason why cadets
and ensigns like to be assigned to small
ships-"so they can associate with the
men," as one of them humorously puts 1t.
But this article is concerned with the ex-
istence of a ward room officer on a man.
of-war of the first class.
Now If a cruiser of the Columbia type
should be rammed and cut In two amid
ships in the middle of the night. after all
hands had turned in. the officers would
find themselves in complete possession OF
the after part of the ship, with never an
enlisted man to turn hand to help them
out of the scrape, and five hundred and odd
men up forward would tumble out of'their
hammocks to find themselves unofhcered
This figure is employed to show that the
after half of the modern man-of-war is the
officers half generous portion enough
to be given over to the comfort OF about
that the Grew" the enlisted men, that is
to say, about half a thousand of Them
live up forward Of the mainmast. And lex
cept at quarters and drill, of course) abaft
the mainmast the bluejacket does not get
in the course Of cruise, unless he happens
to be an electrician gunner's mate, mess
attendant commanding officers marine
orderly or a chief petty officer whose du-
the commissioned officers.
In the Mess Room.
The ward room is the general descriptive
term applied to the living quarters of the
ward room. or watch and division. officers.
1t includes all of the individual sleeping
and dressing rooms of the ward room Of
ffcers. the smoking rooms, the library-the
space Of the afterpart Of the ship, where
the ward room officers epend all Of their
time, when they are not on watch or In
the mess room. The ness room of the
modern man-of-war IL the merry-making
room for all OF the ward room officers.
There Is fun to be had in the ward room,
but, for the reason that ssme Of the Of
ficers just on watch are asleep in the ward
room at all hours. it is fun of the sub
-dued order; and it is, therefore. in the
mess room, which Is always q good dis
lance separated from the ward room on
the berth deck, that the ward room officer
may give vent to his greatest exuberance.
On the old-tfme American war ship, the
ward.room officers individual living and
sleeping room was q dingy enough little
den, no greater in aize than the Estate
room on the wheezyzstern wheeler of the
Missouri river. On the big modern cruiser
1t is OF about the size of an ample hall bed
room. but very different indeed. from the
average hall bed. room! For the construc-
tors OF modern warships have an eye for
the beautiful and the ornate, and they know
the use OF white and gilt and soft tints in
green and blue; SO that even bare of other
characterization. the ward room officers
state room on the cruiser Of today Is suffi-
GENTLY soothing to the artistic sense. Then,
Wnen the ward room officer takes posses
sion Of his room. he proceeds to make 1t
more than ever bower of beauty. after
the fa4hion Of the opulefrt student. with
his pictures Qnclpding myriads of fetching
photographs yof his shore friends. mostly
femfnine). hts pipe racks. his foils. his
Z Tides and doyltes, his boxing gloves. his
unbreakable curios picked up all over the
long rows of Shoes black, white and rus
set and his bewildering array Of uniforms,
generally hanging from hooks in plain.
bizarre view, for lack of closet space.
me ward room officers young woman
friends consider Il the most miraculous Of
all human things that his room Il not only
Always beautifully armand and eSecoratad.