The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-30
JACK TARS ALL IN TALE,
ESCAPE OF A NATAL OFFICER VINO
DUCK ED Il CHAPLAIN.

An Episode NJ n Mediterranean Fort Tint n.
Iustrntep the Loyalty OF snilormen Toward
Popular Omcers-How n lieutenant Wn,
aavea from the Consequences or Hi. Act.
"Sailormen nrc q class by themselves, :" saidn
naval oflcer'who has whipped into shape manv
crows. and until you have lived with them and
studied them you have no idea OF their charac.
ter. In some things they are like childrCn, bun
whatever may be their faults, they cannot asa
class DO accused OF lacking generosity ,r iov.
atty. II n shipmate is III or IN misfortune and
needs money the hat goes around and 1t never
returns empty. remember one incident that
happened in a Mediterranean port a few years
ago that well illustrates tho loyalty Of the men
aboard ship to an officer II the latter happens 10
DO n popular man. The story Is we'll known in
the navy.
ut SO happened that our ship and an English
squadron were in port at the same time and thu
officers md men Of tho two countries frater.
nized. The English Admiral was a fine fellow,
and so were all his officers with the exception
OF his Chaplain, who was n sour, strait laced in.
dividual, very unpopular with the English Of.
fccrs. Chaplain Smith-that wasn't his name,
but 1t will do-ncver attempted to make friends,
and I don't believe that he would have $40.
ceeded bad he tried. We had on our shin a
Lieutenant who was a great favorite with every
one. on board. He was one OF the most enter.
tanning men In the wardroom, and, moreover, h>
was an excellent officer. There wasn't a lack
tar aboard that wouldn't have jumped over.
board for Lieut.. Jones, as ! shall call him, and
before wo had been in port a week the English
officers had discovered that he was a good fcl.
low. Jones had just one failing and it mani.
tested itself at long intervals. In the company
OF congenial men he would occasionally drink
too much, and then lie became boisterous.
ct so happened that he found half a dozen
En-ltoh nA1 cara aahnra n aftprpnnp md tI,,
were all good fellows. They told Jones that he
was a good fellow, and he told them that they
were good fellows. and these statements were
pledged in the usual manner. The Englishmen
admitted that they were all good fellows in their
squadron with the exception of Chaplain Smith,
and the more they discussed the Chaplain tho
moro Jones was convinced that he must be an
enemy Of mankind. So many toasts were drunk
that when Lieut.. Jones went to the landing to
get his boat to go aboard ship he found the
street none too wide for his progress. He had
concluded and stated aloud for the twentieth
time that the English officers were gent. emcn
and good fellows when he saw Chaplain Smith
standing at the landing waiting for his boat. A
b rat commanded by a coxswain and manned by
jones aboard ship. but there was no boat for the
Ene,ish Chaplain. Jones remembered what Tho
ton OF their hospitality by ducking the Chaplain.
he picked him up and threw him into the water.
hnpinI hon ~ ~ IL
and he. probably couldn't have preyeu.d the
ducking had he been warned, for the Lieutenany
the Chaplain ont and helped him up on the land
ing. He, was too surprised and Indignant, TO
the fuss was all about and. how he happened to
have, been thrown into the water Lieut.. Jones
ship. When he realized the next morning what
he had done he made up his mind that his naval
career had about ended. The English Chaplain
ship. and IT looked as if the dncking might be-
come an International complication before a
court had finished with it,.
Lieut.. Jones. had undoubtedly grossly in
suited an English officer. but secretly the other
joke on the Chaplain. 1t was necessary for us to
court mi rtial. Jones. and u day was appointed
the English Chaplain. and the only witnesses
were the GoXswain and crew from our shil.
English t oficers were were ali Ps sorry yy for 'R Sim. s@@ so OF
them told the English Admiral what a good
fsllow s Liemti Jones nn me !; 4 Say n be %Ss. and and to our
martial was to be held. the English Admiral
suddenly decided that he would take his squad
ron to sea for gun practice and stay an indefinite
time; This meant. Of course. that Chaplain
s; Smith d1im Would haze Si1, e GO a, tIn with his b ship and
tSeat HSsmirai. and; All t things c %, Sae red Pa very
charge against him, Lieut.. Jones's prospects
looked a little brighter.
dpcking Of the English Chaplain. and they knew
WnaC Lieut.. Jones 3 cOnOltlOn was Oh InSt AFTER
noon. Their evidence was enough to break him.
When the court convened the coXswain was
called as tho first witness. He was told 10 tell
what he knew about the case.
Wei, sir, ] was a-sittin' in the stern sheets
a-waitin' Tor Lieut.. Jones' he said, .when I saw
the English Chaplain a-staggerin' down to the
landing
Tho members of the court opened their eyes
at this statement, and as the coxswain contin-
ued discreet smiles followed the looks of amazes
Yes. SIR continued the coxswain, observing
the effect OF his testimony out Of the corner "
his eye. :! saw the English chaplain come
s.stagRcrin, down to the landing. He had been
drinkin', sir. outrageous. and he. didn't know
what he was a-dOin. The next thing | noticed
was the English Chaplain a-splashin' around
in the water. He had fallen overheard. so he
landing again. About ten minutes later / saw
Lieut.. Jones coming down to the landing. quiet
like. Lieut.; Jones he got into the boat and we
went, aboard ship. That's all l know about it
The next witness called was tho stroke oar.
l saw the English Chaplain come down TO
the landing very drunk, sir he said. He was
e-staggerin'. and the first l knows he goes over
board. We fishes him up and puts him ashore
and gets little thanks for it. / think as how the
cold water sobered him up, sir. About ten min
utes later i sec the Lieutenant a-coming down
very quiet like; He gets in the boat and we 20
aboard ship. That's all that ! know.
other member OF the boats crew was called and
he told the same story. Every other member
OF the crew went on the witness stand and told
exactly, the same yarn; They must have re;
there was nothing for the COURT to do but clear
Lieut.. Jones. He was cleared. Had he neen an
unpopular officer even the tact OF the English
ADMIRAL in taking his squadron to sea could
and II was an honorable one. was due to the
loyalty OF his men,