The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
THE "YEOMAN" IN THE NAVY.
Title of Only Man Killed in the Sea
Fight at Santiago.
PhiIadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.
A ,yeoman in the navy is in reality store
clerk. The rank is that of a first-class
petty officer, and the man who holds it has
charge of all the stores and material used
in the equipment of the vessel on which he
serves. The yeoman keeps a set of books
showing the receipts and expenditures of
stores, and Is required to make weekly
return to the executive officer and quar-
terly return to the Navy Department at
Washington, which the executive officer
signs and becomes responsible for. Like all
the higher grades of petty officers, yeomen
are divided into classes. These are chief
yeomen, and yeomen of the first, second and
third classes, with the pay graded accord
ingly. On large vessel of war the en-
gineer's department has yeoman in addi-
ton to the yeoman of the ship to look after
the stores of that department, and tne pay
master is also entitled to yeOman, who
has charge of the provisions and clothing.
This informs our friend what yeoman
is in Uicle Sans service, but it does not
tell why he should be thus characterized.
1t is not very difficult to trace the origin
of the appellation. In its original sense the
term yeoman describes the gentleman-at-
tendant in a royal or noble household, rank
ing between a sergeant and groom. For in
stance, there was a yeoman of the crown;
a yeoman usher, yeoman of lower grades
known as yeoman of the chamber and yeo-
man of the wardrobe. butler was termed
a yeoman for the month In other words,
the term was characteristic of one holding
subordinate position as an assistant or at
tendant upon some one high in authority.
The term, however. has other meanings. In
bills of indictment found by the grand jury
in this Commonwealth to-day the term yeo-
man is frequently used. In this applica-
ton it has reference under the old English
law to freeholder, one who owns a small
landed property. Later, however, the term
became to be applied in a more homely and
simple sense to those who gave strength
and support to the English armies, and one
of yeoman's rank was looked upon as one
of body of retainers doing the service of
many consisted of a volunteer cavalry
force made up in great part of gentlemen
wealthy farmers and under what is
known as the yeomanry act of 1904 they are
obliged Ito undergo six days of training
and must attend a certain number of drills
a year, for which they receive a money al
lowance. They must furnish their own
horses, but have a small allowance for
clothing-the government also supplying
volunteer force, the yeomanry cavalry may
be called out to aid the civil power, in adj
dition to being liable for service on invasion
of the country by foreign enemy" Few
OF you there are who have not heard of
''yeoman of the guard as applied TO the
body guard Of the English sovereign, and
more properly known as the .,beef-eaters
They get the latter title by reason of the
fact that they used to watch the buffet
French "buffettiers," which freely trans
lated means walters at the side-board,"
and hence the corruption beef-eaters''
From all this you CLEAN the general idea
that yeoman is valuable assistant. and
hence the use of the old time appelation
in the United States navy in the manner
which has been explained to you. and which
the. narrator CLEANED from one who has oc-
cupied that position.