The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-08
A Shore Man at Sea.

| 1t Is DIS 1OilONS-
To shore man the environments of
modern battle ship is more strange than
any dream. 1t cocktails up in your mind
with a nut and bolt factory a base
! but the other mixtures are like an interna-
| tional exhibition Worlds Fair of people
| and things. The throb of engines-the
shrill squealing of bo-suns' whistles-elec-
! trict lights-cranies swinging coal in from
the lighter 'longside, long guns bigger
| than forest trees sticking everywehere,
sharp orders, gentlemanly officers In white
duck trousers and bare-footed jackies run
ming about, monkey-like in their move
ments, while marine guards strut mar
| TALLY across the deck.
| You go TO the dining-room-or as they
say, "wardroom''-through another room
which makes you chilly because it is filled
with long fsh-like torpedoes which are
loaded with dynamite or other nervous
things which are difficult to tolerate on
intimate living terms
And tomorrow we are going to war. One
doesn't in these days go to war often
enough to make it commonplace, and yet
strain as 1 would. hunt high and low, Off
GERS and salormen, I could find nothing
but the most deadly apathy concerning the
whole proceeding. l don't think it was be-
cause they were overused to giong 10
war, but they have eaten and slept and
| drilled and thought so much within the
! ships sides that it has eaten up their
other thoughts. They are part of the
| big machine-the 1owa-and she was built
TO go to war-so. why not?
After dinner | stroHed forward to the
| bridge through that part of the ship CIV
en- up to jack tars. There was much bust
| ling, and the sailorman when he speaks
tunes on the high pedal
Il hain't had bath yet-d- this war
to h-!'' yelled sailorman; so you can
see that to Jackie war and baths have
ludicrous proportions. Naval people are
highly specialized.
And these men as they talk make you
wonder. Says one to another: Say. Bill,
where is the Flying Squadron going?'
How do you suppose ! know where the
FLYNN Squadron's going? Say. you don't
have to think about that-all you have got
to do is to come here and stand by TO
heave-short and starboard chain" And
this cheerful reply tore the quiet night in
to ribbons.
The Ardois signal lights were winking
intelligence at each other from the masts
of the various ships, the water slapped
lazily against the ship. the coaling gear
creaked; 1t was busy aboard, but great
quiet lay over the Gulf and the gray
sky did not care about the little me-
tallic fuss going on below.
l turned in early and was awakened
during the night by buck marine SOL
der. who was kneeling on my back trying
to fasten up my port-hole, while he swore
softly at the 'gil-guys."
When l came on deck in the morning
1t was a beautiful day; what the sailor
men call "old woman's weather" and we
were under way. Ahead of us steamed the
big cruiser New York, the newly-made Ad-
miral Simpsons flag ship. and promptly;
at eight bells he broke out his pennant.
The guns on the flagship banged away
her sailors cheered, contrary to regula-
lions, and ours gave an answering cheer.
torpedo boat came alongside and yelled
the Admirars thanks for the cheer to
Captain Evans. So much for the regula-
lions when they get mixed up with human
nature-when 1t is deep down.
Behind US in double column came the
squadron-a big bulldog of a monitor TAX
ing low, throat hold of the waves and
eating into them just behind US. The little
torpedoes cut along over the waves on our
fanks-showing both ends alternately and
their boot-tops besides.
Now 1 hope we are off," said the doc
tor. 1--WE looked at the Boggerhead Light
for two months-at San Key Light six
weeks-how long will we have to look at
Morro?"-and, after waiting-"how long
before Sandy Hook
AS though an earnest of good luck to
the Admiral's flag a big Spanish mer-
chairman, with colors flying, steamed
bang into the middle of the fleet, and
promptly got a gun across her bow.
1.-THE way they are heaving people to
around here is scandalous," grinned a
naval cadet.
We speculated on the quaint imbecility
of Spaniard who would sail into the mid
die of the Key West feet in times like
these. Quien sabe?
We'll. Remington, If you could select
a glorious naval death, which would you
prefer, to have the boilers explode, to be
torpedoed and sunk, to have a shell burst
in your compartment, or TO have the ice
machine shot away asked the jolly navi-
gator; but all were equally glorious and
horrible to me.
Every one was happy on the fine morn
ing. going to war. Sailors hate block
ade-they dread inaction. They want to
mix It up with the batteries, but the
blessed old United States army Is not
ready yet, so they must wait; but they
took 1t out of the soldiers. and dearly
wished for some of them to be along 10
take their own part-for ks no funeral Of
mine in the tents. the grub. the mules and
the guns are not there for ready men 10
use.
Tomorrow may bring great things"
unused an officer alongside me. What do
you think-a Lieutenant al forty-five years
of age-what do you think" sighed this
narrowed soul: "A hero at forty-fve years
Il did not enter the service to be hero
at forty-ve years. ! told the secretary a
while ago that when 1 died all 1 wanted
on my tombstone was Lieutenant b,
L. 8. Navy Buncoed-"
Do not ina CINE that this deep sentiment
interferes with my old friend-he likes 10
think aloud about his trouble-and it's a
good fashion very much affected by all the
sea-going men.
A fat little prentice boy became conf
Dental with me after introducing me to
many ships mysteries, and said: we
are starving aboard this ship-we have
nothing TO eat"
With surprise 1 turned on him-such a
startling statement--to think OF Uncle
Sam starving these brave ''bullies" % his,
but 1 kept back my laugh. for the fat
little rascal was positively greasy. and
his trousers strained about his legs.
1 can see the captain up on the bridge.
forty feet above the water. the executive
Mr.. Rodgers. a sharp visaged gentleman. .
who goes speeding about the ship HUNK
ing up trouble for any man who looks
comfortable, and the engineer officers who
come up out Of the coal and grease for (
breath Of fresh air. The marine sergeant I
in charge Of the after deck swsats badly
as he strides about, outtonsd Up to the
last gasp.