New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-18
UNCLE SANS TARS.
CONTRAST ~ THEIR ROUTINE WORK
AFLOAT AND ASHORE.


LIFE \ NECESSITY or MET-oFwAR
From The Philadelphia Record.
There are striking contrasts between 49, life
81 saiicr IN the United states Navy az sea
and that of the same well-ted and leisurely
fellow when his cruiser or ba.tle-shiD lies moored
10 the per at League Island Navy Yard. A
glimpse OF these contrasts afforded during
Z visit 20 the Navy Yard a day CT TWO ago
To begin at the beginning, the visitor should
be on hand before dawn. Then. as the gray
streaks across the eastern horizon begin 70
change to hues Cf gold he will see little
group OF marines marching TO the water front
ne WIZ watch them tor moment wn,. e., .hs ss
pause 10 charge the gun and, a little later ne
will note q Jet OF fame breaking from the
muzZle Of the piece. a white bail OF smoke roll
ing wheel-.ike across the va ter and a deep roar
thrObbing across the marshes All these siens
will combine to indicate that the sun has OH
caly risen at the Navy Yard-a fact further
attested by The breaking out OF the ht,ie PACK
bail % bunting that creeps 20 the truck OF the
Flagstaff until all the briliiancy Of the stars and
stripes Is revealed.
But. a. has been already intlmated. the day
at League Island though heralded with all the
pomp and ceremony ,hat military and naval
formality can give is vastly different from the
same period at sea. Though inactivity or lazi-
ness Is never tolerated, the men have de-
cidcdly easier time on board the cruisers now
lying in reserve at the Navy Yard than "nen
those same vessels are az sea; and this in spite
OF the greatly reduced crews which are NAM
tanned aboard them.
yhe Columbia which was recently moved into
the new basin dredged out in the back channel
has effective force 81 but elghty-eight men,
instead OF more than four hundred and ninety,
who make up her complement when IN sea-
going trim.
At the "idlers" are reused out at daylight
by the bugle. which sounds a second revele
for the watch al { a. m. Sometimes an early
breakfast is given. but generally not until
o'clock. when the "coiors are holsted. Inc
forenoon watch lasts until II o'clock. Breakfast
over. the bright metal work Of which there is
great quantity aboard is thoroughly cleared
md hslr hcd nj at sir
al who consider themselves unfit for duty 10
, report 10 the doctor Scarcely is this over when
at $50 the buele sounds FOR inspection and the
rest Of the morning Is taken up with drls,
after which the mechanics and laboring parties
60 10 work
When at sea the navigating officer is sum-
moned at 11:3O and. taking his stand on the
quarterback. proceeds 70 shoot the sun, and
little later reports 10 the executive officer, an
nounc.ng to him the noon hour end the latitude
which that gentleman Acknowledges by order
ing 20 make eight bells
Dinner comes In all cases at y o'clock. and
the dinner hour is shown by hosting red
'numeral," or triangular flag. which Is hauled
down when the meal is done. IN hour : given
when the ship is In port and half-hour when
at sea. Sometimes during the afternoon dr!!ls
are held after which work is resumed. At 1,
80 > a haif-hour is given for superb
movable feast-and at sunset the hammocks
are given out. Fires put out at p m, eX-
cept Of course in the engine and boiler rooms
and tattoo is sounded at o'clock For the
regulation OF the night duties there IS no par
tculaT law.
Everything on board ship is Of necessity con-
Quoted according 10 routine, arranged with ref
erence 10 the quarter. month. week, day or
watch. Quarterly routine prescribes the for
warding OF reports for inspection by the COM
mander- !n-chief Of all vessels under his COM
mand. Al the ground tackle. such as anchors
and chains. is overhsuled, and target practice
With the big guns is also held at least once
quarter
on the first Sunday Of every month the Ar
ticles OF War are read to the assembled crew.
nd nj clothing
held on the last day Of every month. In the
weekly duties there s greater variation. sun
day is made as nearly as possible day Of rest
only necessary cleaning being done on that
day and divine service IS held after inspection
at 10 o'clock. On Wednesdays the decks are
scrubbed with sand, and on Saturdays they are
hoystOned 10 ivory whiteness. General
quarters. as FOR action and attending drills,
are held on Mondays and on Fridays there are
a fre-alarm ard fire drills on Tuesday
Wednesday and Thursday Of each week The
different divisions OF the exercised
at the guns or at 'short-arm drill Battalion
drill Is also neld once a week, and the squad
ron OF boats is sent out for practice.
50 much for the life at sea; but when the
cruiser Is laid up in reserve and the major
part Of her crew is drafted into other ships
there is literally nothing 70 be done but to
maintain 4 state Of cleanliness. Steam is kept
up and the machinery is set to work once in
twenty-four hours, the great screws, the am
nutrition holsts and everything that move
Is made 10 move 70 prove its efficiency.
one luxury however. that jack gets while
laid up is his night IN. for there Is no watch
and-watch" system enforced when the ship is
moore1 TO the pier. When at sea the men are
divided into two watches, port and starboard.
doing duty for four hours each alternately.
on board the receiving ship Richmond a SINH
lar routine IS enforced. IL is aboard this vessel
that The apprentices are received and undergo
preliminary aud setting-up drill before being
drafted into other vessels Two six-pOund
Hotchkiss rifles have been mounted In the bows
of The vessel TO give the recruits gun drill. and
a number Of rifles have lately been received
with which they will have instruction in the
manual 81 arms.
on the receiving ship all hands are called AT
a. m: breakfast is followed by inspection az
Sfj and The rest Of the day Is taken up with
ordinary routine details
The Katshdin which is also lying a. the
dock. as well az the monitor N!antOnomoh are
in charge Of a shipkeepcr. and not even in
reserve. The ram. by the way, IS known as the
most uncor' Portable ship In the Navy 70 live
aboard. This is explained by the fact that the
vessel. being almost entirely submerged. the
moisture condenses inside and little rvuets -
water tric,e into the herths. making r. neces-
sary for the sieencrs 20 cover themselves with a
rubber blanket t. insure p dry bel.
Life at the yard" said Boatswain Hugh
Sweeney, is not the soft thing that people !
think H. There Is always something % be /
done, and generally there are few people 20 !
The old idea Of sailors being a hard-drinkng /
class is totally erroneous. and in the modern I
navy the oid-style 'seadog is almost a
rnvthical being The old system. too % doing /
work aboard ship IS thing OF the past"
The couple; known as the philadelphia |
Catechsm" laiG down the law as follows
SIX DAYS shalt thou labor and 40 al ,hou or; able
md on the seventh holystone the deck ans pound |
the cable.
But the old order OF things has given place |
10 the new order. under which both the over |
work and the vices Of the old way rendered |
practically impossible.