Evening journal., 1898-10-10
STOOD FOR THEIR PRIVILEGE.
The Clever Way in Which a punch
OF Naval Apprentices Got Ahead
OF Cnpt. PhilIp.

A newspaper editor OF Philadelphia.
who has become one OF the best in
formed men on Pennsylvania politics
since he left off going 20 sea, was once
an apprentice in the United States |
navy. He served in the various rates as
third. second and frst-class boy, or |
binary seaman and seaman apprentice,
and was further rated long before he
reached the term of his indenturc as
captain OF the starboard watch of after
guard and coxswaln of the captains
gig. These advancements were, OF
course, within the limits of his ap-
premiership, aud he was all the while
subject to the special rules and regula-
tions Of the service for that condition.
and among them was one forbidding
apprentices 10 smoke. He was serv-
ing on the Richmond al that time with
some dozen or more boys, who, like
himself, had long been away from the
scholarships, and were doing able sea-
mems duty, and, of course, smoking
whenever the ships corporal hung out
the lamp TO light pipe by, and thatis
at prescribed hours, because sailors are
not supposed TO carry matches. The
first lieutenant of the ship was Jack
Philip, now captain commanding the
bnttleship Texas, the man whose pic
ttre has become so we'll known since
the war began by the cooked hat OF the
full-dress uniform with which he is
photographed. lie was, like many 9TH
er good fellows, jump-up-in-the-
mornings g-and-make-things-moye First
Lun, and one day after dinner he saw
an apprentice take light for his pipe
at the lamp. "Wsht's that, corporal Of
the guard? Take those pipes away
from all the apprentices, whatever
their rate is" A moment later the
young men found themselves deprived
OF their pipes and ordered 10 the mast,
when the first lieutenant faced them.
do you not know II is a specific regula-
tion that apprentices are not TO
smoke?"
"Why, yes, sir" replied onei "but
we are rated for mems work, we are
doing It, and we have been smoking
ever since we left the schoolship."
"Well. you won't smoke any more on
board this ship. Go forward"
Perhaps the qualities which made a
political writer ont q jackie were
also those which made the jackie some
thing Of a sea lawyer, and he studied
the way Of getting the smoke back.
, At last he hit It or and summoning
p his fellows in council, he secured their
pledges TO stand by him. Then he
p went 20 the mast TO see the first lieu
, tenant "slr," he said, "we who are APP
prenticed demand school In the terms
Of our indentures. II Is provided in the
regulations thnt we shall have daily
instruction and be taught navigation
There Is a schoomaster aboard, al.
I though he is doing duty as chief bont
swain's mate"
e The officer cooked his eye at the ap
Ie prentice, and, after pause, said
a, ''Ycry well, coxswain, you shall hav
Is school" The ship, however, did nc
0. rate chief boatswnin's mate, and th'
y man who held that was not fit for
l. schoolmaster, and there was not OF
{, board the ship a man who knew al
r much as the apprentices, except, o.
u course the officers, and TO detail then
for that duty would be unpleasant
enough for them at least, and other
wise disturb the comfort Of the ship
o Philip tried every other sort Of school
d master in vain. and then sent for the
g sea lawyer coxswain.
II "Why do you fellows want 10 go e
e school?" he demanded.
q because, sir, replied the Unabashed
Eve must occupy the time we lost wheI
u you took away our smoking"
" "Go forward, you sea lawyer, an'
e smoke, and be hanged TO the lot o
T. YOU" And after that there was NJ
Ie schools-Philadelphia Times.
II |