The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-06-02
UNCLE SANS SAILORS.
PROVISIONS FOR THE CARE AND COM.
FORT OF A MAN.oF WARS MAN.

Amuse,nents - Various Duties of the
seainen- Caring for Their Health.
When the crew of man-of-war is
enlisted, each individual has his ''rat-
ing," pr definition Of the capacity in
which he is to serve. II he is ma
rine, his daily drill and work will he
different from those of the others, but
he will he subject to the same disci-
pline, and enjoy the same privileges
as the crew. Among the special rat
ings under which men are enlisted are
those of ships apothecary, carpenter,
cook, barber, tailor, shoemaker, etc.
The last three are permitted to charge
moderate fees to the men for whom
they perform work. although they also
receive regular wages from the govern
ment. The class of men known as
petty officers" including the cadet
engineers, the captain of the top"
the captain of the after-guard' and
the captain of the forecastle" whose
titles sufficiently indicate their duties,
rank between the ordinary members
Of the crew and the regular officers.
These petty officers are themselves di-
vided into classes, those of the higher
grade messing separately, and those
of the lower with the crew. That
there may he no question on any point
as to his daily duties, each enlisted
man has his "billet, assigning to him
his rating, watch number, part of ship,
mess, boat, and his station at quarters
and at fire-quarters.
The first incident of importance in
the daily routine is the call to guar
ters" at $50 for the regular morning
inspection and drill. At inspection
| each mans clothing comes under the
officers scrutiny, and his general APP
pearance is scrutinized if necessary.
Ample opportunities and facilities are
given to the crew for the making,
mending and washing of their clothes,
so that man who does not keep him
self neat. has no excuse for it but his
own laziness.
The washing, by-the-way, is a most
impressive function which takes
place every Monday morning. No
one is excused from answering the
boatswain's whistle which summons to
this except the men in the engine-room,
who naturally cannot drop their work
to rush to the call. They must ar
range, however, with obliging com
rades, so that the cleansing of their
garments may take place just the same.
The manner of performing the wash
ing would no doubt be regarded by
ordinary housekeepers with distrust.
The garments, with the exception of
the fannels, are laid upon the deck
and scrubbed with ''coya" brush,
after which they are rinsed in the
buckets or sluiced with water as they
lie on the deck.
The drill which follows inspection
may he with any or all of the various
weapons of war. There is target prac-
tice with the cannon and with the
small arms, and the sword exercise, at
which the men are taught the seven
different styles of cuts which may most
effectively disable or kill.
When piped to mess, the men find
their "table," i. e., the deck, all
spread for them by that useful func-
tionary, the cook, and, sitting down
cross-legged about the cloth, they fall
to with sea appetites. 1t is strongly
recommended in the naval regulations
that the men be not disturbed al
this hour, and that visitors should not
choose this time to pay calls to the
ship. The rations for each mess are
usually drawn by one man appointed
to the task.
Saturday afternoons and Sundays
are holiday times on board ship. Tc
be sure, certain amount of cleaning
up is required on those days, the ex'
tent of which depends largely upon
the captains strictness in this regard
and his desire for 'spick-and-span
vessel.
Jacks chief amusements in his of
hours, after he has finished mp any
necessary needlework which he may
have on hand, arereading, writing letters
home, playing cards or checkers, and
above all, smoking The regulations
governing his beloved pipe permit hin
to enjoy it on Saturday and Sunda,
afternoons, on holidays, from ''al
hands" to "turn to-" during mea
/ HOHrS, anu lOr llihittu ptliouS III VIZ
night watches. No smoking by tn,
crew is ever allowed below the gun
deck, or, in single-decked ships, be
low the spar deck, and they must keel
to their own part Of the ship, in th
neighborhood of the forecastle. An
other period in which the men ma,
smoke is from the time the hammock
are down, about 6 p. m, until tattoo
at 0 p. M, but they must remain ol
the upper deck with their pipes a
this hour.
The greatest care is taken of tn
J health of the crew at sea, and the
are not overworked or exposed unnec
essarily to the heat of the sun, to we
, weather, or to disease. When cruising
! off unhealthy localities, such as tn
$ west coast of tropical Africa, the 18th
5 mus of Panama, the West Indies an'
. parts of South America, shore leave i
3 frequently refused on account of tn
: | danpar IN health which il involves nm,