Middletown transcript., 1898-06-11
MIDDLETowN. DEL, JUNE ii, 1896
WHY UNCLE sAM's FIGHTING
SAILORS BEAT ALL THE
WORLD:

Naval experts of Europe say that II
England's highly rated navy we're to
face Uncle Sans Jack tars the En-
glishmen would pant and puff while
Uncle Sans boys were still fresh.
England has been giving time and
money to her navy while the United
states was giving intelligent care. An
American seaman can do better work
left handed than an Englishman or a
German can do with both hands.
An American sailor loves Union
Jack man almost as well as he loves
his own brother, but he acknowledges
that he is far superior to the rare beef
Eng lishman. Uncle Sans sailors do
not always like ship life for their rules
so strict that every year sailors come are
ashore to look for other jobs. They
get tired of doing just as they are told.
War has been practically ION" in the
United States the last two years.
Every msn in the navy knew that
Cuba might be freed at any time and
that war would follow. Consequently
the discipline of war has been strictly
maintained.
The man who works in shop and
the man who, free as air, scrubs the
street with a broom, has no idea OF
the strict Iules that hem in Jack Tar
on shore and on ship. They begin
with his clothes, which are Of GER
tain stuff-the best that can be bought
for the money. If he wants anything
lighter or thicker or coarser he is not al
lowed to have it. He must always buy
certain material. This is supplied to
him by the government for minimum
sum which is allowed to him for
shoes and he is not permitted to in.
dulge in any vagaries in pointed toes
and patent leather vamps. His shoes
are big and have broad square com.
mon sense toes and if he does not like
them be can get out Of the navy.
HIS FOOD.
Jack Tar's food is a certain kind
Here is the only limit be is allowed
IL his food is not cooked 20 suit him
if it too done. or too rare, too salt Of
too fresh, he is allowed to complain
and his complaint will be listened Il
with respect, for Uncle Sam respects
Jack Tar's appetite. But the ques-
tion of going ashore is what bothers
him most. For the last two years the
vacations on shore have been few an(
far between. Jack Tar is not allowed
to land upon any coast where disease
is prevalent.
| Jack Tar never tikes kindly to these
restrictions aud he comes close to mu
tiny when it is time to go aboard ship
He receives his pay monthly, and her
again he kicks; but Uncle Sam consid
ers it necessary to control the pay o
his Jack Tars or the poor boys woult
always be penuiless.
If lie sees fellnw who will squande
his money some OF his pay is kept ou
each time, so that he will have some
thing to take with him when he goe
out Of the service. He is told that thi
money is to take care of him if he i
sick, but fully we'll Jack Tar know
that the government gives him th
best medical care free of charge.
| Just now, when he is under fire, hi
discipline string is pulled around hin
so tightly than he has no freedom. III
has become ward Of The nation, ant
the nations honor rests 10 his hands
He must do thus and so and no point
of wayward humanity must be allowet
to assert themselves to the detrimen
of the country's good.
In the old days, when war vessel
went under sail. there was enough
pulling and hauling to keep Jack ii
good health and spirits, his liver work
ing all right and bis stomach in fin
gnawing condition, so that the Dime
pennant was pleasing sight to him
But, now that the men-of-war are al
moved by steam, there is not 8
much violent exercises. Jack Tar ha
no exercise aboard ship beyond littl
daily work to keep the deck in trim
Therefore he must be provided wit
athletics to make him strong.
If he were allowed TO sit idle all da
be would get fat, and Admiral Dewe
instead of taking 10 Manila thousan
1.-the, athletic, slrong-bodied workme
would have had corps of policemel
too puffy 10 sioop over the guns an
> too fat to run. But he look with hiI
slender -bodied boys who could duck
shot and could get out Of the way whe
shell Whizzed over their heads.
To keep them in this shape it is nee
essary to keep them in daily drill. ]
comes right after evening quarters at
O'Clock. The marines and soldiers hay
all lined up on the deck. The skipper ha
come out of his cabin and stands on th
starboard side little in front Of th
gangway that goes down into the ward
room. The executive officer stands
little in front of him and little to hi
right. Both men stand with q tauI
ness aud crimp in the muscles of th
back and legs which sayt: "This
very important" The captain of ma
rines comes and stands before the exet
utive officer, salates and conveys th
: important information that all az
present or accounted for. Then be 50
lutes, rises on bis toes, piyots around
and departs In great solemnity.