The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-28

in their school-days as do boys gene
 rally, and meet with the usual vicissi-
 tudes in the way of punishment and
 commendation.
 I've been in the brig twice already,
 and l don't want to go there any
 more," announced one lad, whose as-
 signment to the cruiser Minneapolis
 had made him the center of an admir-
 ing group of fellows. "'The brig?
 Oh, the brig is where they put you
 when you've been disobeying orders or
 overstaying your leave. It's what you
 call cell, and it ain't much fun, eith-
 CT. I've been drafted now, and I'm
 going to be the ships good boy
 Where did you get into the habit of
 cigarette -smoking?"
 "Oh, we don't have to get in the hab-
 it; 1t just comes natural. We aint al-
 lowed to do it until we come to the re-
 ceiving-ship, but @ fellow isn't
 watched all the time. On board ship
 they won't let us smoke cigarettes, but
 we can smoke pipes at meal times, and
 I guess that's about as good"
 The apprentices are at present much
 the larger element in the life of the Vermont, and this is indicated to the
 visitor by the tear-stained faces of the women coming and going. The boys
 are a od-humored, light-hearted lot. They are allowed to see their friends and members of their families aboard, and are often given the liberty of the yard when their parents or guardians a tn fx understood, however, that the govern ment assumes actual guardianship over them in all things from the time of their enlistment until they are twenty-one years of age, and so these privileges are granted only at the op- tion of the commanding officer.
 Life on board, barring the monotony of routine, is very pleasant. There Is always band at the station to furnish music on the spar-deck for nimble feet and appreciative ears, and a piano is part of the ships regular equipment;
 such modest but serviceable instru- ments as harmonicas, accordions and jewsharps seem to be found in every nook and corner when occasion re- quires and the hour permits. During the evening gymnastic exercises are
 allowed. and are perhaps indulged in with greater relish by reason of the absence of any prescription to that eff feet. Punching bags, boxing gloves and dumb bells are in great demand, and contests in jumping, wrestling and athletic tricks are always in order a that part of the day. Cards, checkers ofh ern,, 0 reading-room is provided, and ample time Is allowed for such diversions. The waiting list is of the same gene ral character at all periods, made up
 of the boys about to be sent off to the training g-station, others who have come from the scholarships, and are await ing assignment to regular cruisers re- cruits and enlisted men who are in transit from one consignment to an- other. The recruits made for the classes of seamen, ordinary seamen and landsmen are given a preliminary dressing down." on time permits, and are sent to active duty at once, as re- quisition Is made for them. They are broken in" as much as possible while
 on the receiving-ship, but receive in struction and drill only when assigned to their respective vessels.
 Their first duty, after successfully passing the various examinations and being sworn and signed by the com submit to the good officer of the ships l barber. The latter's work is done at government expense, but after the l first experience it is required that en- listed men must settle their own bills of this nature.
 l The recruits are, in common with all I enlisted men and boys on board, put through the well-known setting up drill. This consists in performing cer- | tain movements of the limbs and body | designed to give the rull use of the
 muscles and feet, and to develop the l agility and endurance necessary to the performance of ship duty The exer- | else is of daily occurrence while the
 men are in the early stage of their en- | listment, and is practiced frequently l during the entire period of their ser vice, being part of the drill of every ships crew.
 | The men are given, at frequent in 1 tervals, practice in what is known as "the boat-drill," which Is done chiefly | for hygienic reasons, and consists, as 1 it's name implies, in handling smal
 boats on the water and taking then out, manning them, etc. They are also | drilled in the manning and manipula- I ton of the guns, when chance offers but these preliminary instructions dc | little more than familiarize them witt | the positions to be assumed, and to 2
 less degree, with the mechanism of the machines. It is impossible to do more i than this, owing to the limited oppor. tunities afforded by the Vermont, ant | is really unnecessary, because on boart of an active ship each man will have 1 his position marked out, and will re
 ceive thorough and systematic drill | ing for well-defined duties. The foul hundred and fifty men, more or less, 0.
 a large ships complement are made III | into divisions each of which has to dt with certain parts of vessel and it. | work; one, for instance. is trained t
 man and operate the guns, another | finds it's duties almost entirely in tht