The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-06

] Hence, III modern warfare, there is
/ definite and determinable limit to the
number of guns that may be placed up
/ on single deck, and that limit is
much smaller than it was thirty years
! ago, when the muzzle velocity of the
! projectile was far less than it is now
But after all, the men themselves are
more interesting than even the Won
derful engine of destruction which they
operate. The Boston navy YARD at
! present is a museum of naval architec-
ture Just beyond the monitor lies the
old frigate Constitution. On the other
quarter is the Pedro, the second Span
ish merchantmen taken as a prize in
the late war. Alongside floats the Gu
rious dynamite gunboat. Nesuvius, now
out of commission and deserted save by
a solitary watchmam Yet little be-
yond is the modern gunboat Helena,
with her tall military mast or fighting
top, for use as a lookout, when this
| flat-bottomed light draft vessel creeps
up a Chinese river. Just beyond is
| the receiving ship, Wabash, another
type of the old wooden navy of the
past The other vessels need not be
catalogued.
If one seeks for luxury in the navy
he can find it aboard the Helena. The
officers quarters are commodious and
handsomely furnished. Oriental rugs
are streWn over the deck, the couches
are elegantly upholstered, the furniture
is pretty, and upon the captains side
/ board rests a silver punch bowl as
large as a washtub. This was the gift
of the people of Helena, Montana
Every novice who visits a Warship
for the first time paUses to inspect
the racks of Lee-Metfard rifles and the
stacks of bristling cutlasses, and then
passes around the corner TO be
startled at the sight of a jack tar, the
ships tailor, running a sewing machine.
But here on the Helena were four BIZ
cycles, tied up in one corner, for use
when the officers get 10 China, whittier
the ship has been ordered.
Forward. the men are at mess The
cooks galley emits an appetizing odor,
and the sailors are certainly enjoying
their rations, which are of fresh food
when the ship is in port After the
meal is over, the table furniture is
slowed away in boxes or racks, as
the case may be. and the long tables
are folded and strung up against the
deck overhead The details Of the
mess differ little among the vessels of
the various classes
At dinner on the Amphitrite. the col
ored walters served for officers and
guests an excellent menu of consomme,
1lsh, roast salad. pudding and sau-
terne. The service was better than can
be found in most homes ashore The
Helena has Japanese servants, most of
whom are going back to Japan t stay.
But apparently the navy prefers the
Chinese for servants, on account of
their docility, their neatness and their
honesty, Unfortunately for the pref
erence of the officers, Chinese servants
are hard to get, because of the eXclu-
sion law. and probably this law is not
held in high esteem in the service The
Japs are not popular. 1t is said that
since they thrashed China. their bump
tiousness has become insufferable. and
it is further remarked that when the
cashiers and other responsible officers
are wanted for Japanese banks and
mercantile Institutions Cinnamon are
selected by the Japs themselves The
inference is obvious.
Speaking of the rations of tho fleet
in Cuban waters, a visitor remarked
that the refrigerating ship, with it's
fresh food supplies, must have been a
constant comfort, An officer replied
that It would have been a comfort if
1T had been more constant. The ship
was not seen for weeks at q time.
Once when it appeared after a long
absence Sampson signalled from the
New York. Send boats to receive fresh
rood All other business was immedi-
ately suspended on board each vessel
N the squadron, and the more distant
sllps, instead of launching small boats
started for the refrigerator nj full
speed. In an instant, it looked like a
beet collision and general smash-up
The ships were all but jumping over
one another to get fresh beef and veg
etaDles- T1en SAMPSON revoked the
order and signalled "Send boats in the
following order" and peace and quiet
succeeded confusion
Whlle in port. the officers have EASY
slofe leave. and they wander far from
the snip, though the military formal
tiles Of reporting and asking permission
are scfupulously regarded One officer
.el the Amphitrite, a man from the far
southwest, one in whose family are
traditions of high service in the Mex-
lean war. has become infatuated with
theboston symphony Orchestra, and
attends every rehearsal and concert
that he can get to- This unexnecfad
craze for symphonies and concertos
gives the ward room ample opportunity
for fun, as does another officers devo-
ton to historic and crooked Boston. All
OF the officers are put up at the various
Eoston clubs. and they have emporium
tiles for excursions into the country
where fresh milk is a luxury as much
appreciated by them after their return
from the tropics as champagne might
be Oy the average landsnlan
DR.. Boyer of the Amphitrite, was the
surgeon assigned to take the place Of
the enc killed while attending TO the
marines who made that splendid fight
against the Spaniards at Guantanamo
All the officers did admirable service
both along the Cuban coast and at
Porto Rico. ---
The story of the origin of the typhoid
fever epidemic atGuanica, Porto Rico,
in Instructive. The harbor is a deep
basin With very narrow inlet, like
theneck of bottle, so that the harbor
itself is virtually stagnant pool, and
into it the heavy rains wash all the
filth of the town.
When typhoid fever first broke out
among the troops the camp sanitation
was very imperfect and disnfection
was neglected. The rain washed the
camp refuse into the harbor, and the
soldiers went in bathing there. Rapid
spread of disease was a consequence.
On board the ships. on the contrary,
the sanitary regulations were very
strict, No bathing was allowed in the
harbor but harbor water was neces-
sarily used for washing ship and from
this alone there resulted two cases of
typhoid.
Such sink holes as that at Guanica
are common. both in Cuba and Porto
Rico, and they constitute one of the
most serious problems Of tropical SAN
itation. Nevertheless, the opinion is
expressed in the navy that this prob
lem may be solved satisfactorily and
completely by the application of mod
ern sanitary science and if this can be
done one Of the chief obstacles to the
habitation. of Havana and all Cuba, in
fact, viii be removed. That it will be
an expensive undertaking, need not be
said. But it VIII have to be accepted
as a prime necessity, cost what it will.
When the Amphitrite leaves Boston
she will go south to train gunners. In
ordinary practice the great 10-inch