Evening journal., 1897-11-27
ON BOARD THE WILMINGTON
A JOURNAL GIRLS IMPRESSION OF
THE GUNBOAT.

mOOred a Dlt away IrOm lne NudIl-d
beauty in white. The keen November
wind swept through the boat-crowded
deck and played hide and seek in the
folds of the Union Jack on the bow and |
the splendid flag Of our union at the
stern.
over the gangway pushed and jos
tied by the crowd we went and found |
ourselves taken in charge without the |
formallty Of an introduction by a
boatswain. Just think of it-a boat
swain, however technology is, / APP
prehend to speak by the card, so in
tend to do t. This" said the obliging
lover Of boats, "is the ships log"
pointing to an open book on desk just
inside the doorway on the after deck.
"But logs, for what purpose are the
logs, and where are they?"
''Ohl no miss that Is not II. This
book is the daily record OF all that oc-
ours. changes in the weather, changes
in assignment to duty, and those things
that make up the daily routine OF a
warship. This here" continued the
boatswain, going aft, lis the capstan,
used principally for warping."
"Ahi / see, replied Here is where
thebrave captain stands when things are
getting desperate" delighted to think |
was correct this time.
mo not always, miss. These round
affairs you see hanging over the stern
are drop life preservers. Just as soon
as the cry rings out at sea man over
board. the sentry on duty art touches
spring and a life saving buoy drops on
the instant. at the same time ignit-
ing a torch so as to be seen ait night,
and if the poor fellow can swim at all,
ne makes for it to he later picked up
by the boat that is Immediately low
cred"
"This, / suppose, is a conservatory,
l said, pointing to cOnical-shaped
glass circle rising from the deck.
mo, not at all, miss, they are sky
lights
T'These things with horns to Them
what are they Mr.. Swain?" / dearly
love abbreviations.
"They are cleats. This other kind are
cavils. These uprghts are awning
stanchions, and these hanging rings
are eye-bolts for hooking watch tackles
TO-"
was getting a trine mixed and con-
fessed as much. "These crooked iron
shafts are boat davits," / said. / guess
you use them in going to Davy Jones
locker, as the story runs"
THAT'S a fact, miss" our Snowman
replied with a shake of the head
MANY brave fellow has gone to his
long sleep in boats hurled from these
davits when gales howl at sea, and the
order is given to lower away the boats
That marine sentry you see pacing
there keeps guard over the after-com
panionway that leads directly to th'
captains cabin" Here l interrupted
with the question, what is in the saying
Go tell II to the marines"
Nothing any more than marin
while on duty is as silent and inscruta
BILE as the sphynX looking over tn
sands OF the Iibyan desert. No clas
OF men are more jealous in the per
formance of their duty than are tn
faithful marines They are the wal
that rises up when mutiny occurs be
tween the forecastle and the quarter
deck, and more than once in naval his
tory have the glittering bayOnets {
The marine guard held in check frer
zied sailors from wreaking vengeanC
upon their officers for real or imag
nary wrongs. They show Jack man
~ navorss wheh he getsiipto 0ouble, bl
|H,f mever hesitate to send bullet afts
3 .him should he attemptAo leave the shi
ISL without permission of his superior
.it Here is one OF the arrangements upo
~ which our lives depend-the water scu
tie. You remember Colerldge's lines
Water, water everywhere,
Nor any drop TO drink
"Between hunger and thirst at sc
hunger is forgotten in the cravings
thirst and when the time comes for
castaway boats crew to draw lots
,3 see who shall die to save the res
the blood OF the victim is drunk wi
avidity."
This room ON the port side is d
~ sick bay, and il is often hard to dete
81. mine II all who are in there are real
l sick or only shamming. That di
goes 10 the ward-room; ON the sta
board side are slowed the hammOcl
u That shrill whistle you hear is one
the boatswain's mates piping the cr
bf % quarters g'hen there is the asse
bling on the after-deck for rOll-ca
IN drill, etc. The whistle is a great say
of voice, as the men know by the var
tions exactly what is required of the
In the discipline OF a man-of-war S
ence is always eloquent, as 1t is W
most people ashore. Too muchs ba
talk will get man into this place he
the brig, and for serious offenses sha'
led in irons
''That tower is the military mast
fighting top. IL is ascended from
Interior and has coming chami
barbette, for Nordenfeld machine gu
and above that again the crows m
where the lookout is stationed"
''How thoughtful" / said, "Of
government to provide a nest for
poor sea crow"
"You see" said the boatswain'
paying any heed to my latest ventl
when a sail is sighted at sea or
land made it is seen by the look
with his telescope long before those
low are aware of either, and he si
out to the officer of the deck, Ian
hoy Now the bow of the vessel is
vided off into points corresponding
the degrees of a half circle and
lookout training the object over II
points, calls back again the p'
should it he four points or six po
on the port or starbOard bow. 4