The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
JACK TAR OUT VISITING.
THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO HIM ON
FOREIGN MEN-OF- Wan
Reasons WAY ne Dsssn't Care Much About
Going on beard European wnrships-A
Chilly Reception on . Spanish ship-visits
70 nrItInh RhInn Tlint Nfnkn rrnnnin.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2G.-The American man
of.war's man forward doesn't take much stock
in foreign ship visiting. On n foreign station
when another United States naval vessel got,
into port, the blucjackets organize visiting par,
ties and take tho steam cutter for n chat OF m
hour or SO amolg former %shipmates on board the
now arrival, but they differ from foreign naval
sailors In that they possess very little ,ut!os.
ity to examine tho warships of other nations.
The main reason FOR this is. perhaps, that the
sense OF huinor of the American m~an-of-war's
man 10 as n rule go Keen that IL makes him feel
moro or less ridiculous to be led around n for.
eign wArship by q man forward whose Language
ho cannot understand. Yankee sailors coca.
sionally mako up small visiting parties to go
aboard British war vessels in foreign ports,
and when they return to their own ships they
declare that they found 1t about MS hard to
make anything Of the fo'c'slo talk Of the limo
juicers forward on the English vessel as II they
had been over tho sido OF a DutchDan. when 1t
is emembore how queerly most British man.
of.war's mon emit their native language and
how they mansle. distort, and hash it ND in
general. there docs not seem to be so much eX-
aggeration in American tars' observations on
this subject.
Another important reason why American
manor. wars men do not follow the foreign
bluejackets' custom of visiting the warships of
other nations when opportunity offers is that
they do not often receive II cordial welcome
from the officers of European man. of. war.
When n visiting party of foreign mon.of.war's
men step aboard an American marship they arc
invariably greeted pleasantly. by the officer of
the deck and made to understand that they are
expected to make themselves BILE dur
ing their visit. Then they are taken in hand by
tho sailors and shown around tho ship, aft as
well as forward, fed at the forward mess tables
II their visit happens to include a mess gear
hour, and treated generally in a courteous.
neighborly fashion.
Visiting parties of American man. of-war's
men have nothing to complain Of in the treat
mont they receive at the hands of the men for
ward on foreign war vessels. but they don't rel
ish the chilliness Of the greeting they receive
from the deck officers. They are Immediately
told upon stepping over the gangway Of any
European war vessel on a visit Of this sort that
they are to rcmain:forward. The men forward
OF the foreigner endea vor to atone for the in.
hospitable manner of the officer of the deck, but
the American man-of-war's man is a pretty in
dependent sort OF citizen and he fails to per-
ccive what particular harm he could do to the
after part OF the foreign man-of.war by max
ing q casual inspection of the after guns. But,
while he keeps up a pretty heavy line of thinking
after a wet blanket of this sort is heaved over
ihh " oho vi tueSc NlSltS, ne uOeSn I Sulk, and
simply cuts his visit as short as he possibly can
make it without embarrassing the foreign blue
Jackets. Then he abjures ship visiting for a
long time, so far as the ships of other countries
are concerned.
A couple of years ago an old bo'sun's mate
serving on the Boston on the China station was
organize and head a visiting party OF the Bos.
tons blucJackets to 20 aboard a Spanish cruiser
in j., the harbor Of Nagasski. Japan; The old
or lighting. packets for a good many years, and, |
knowing the ways of deck officers on foreign
men-of war. he had steered clear OF foreign
tho young, fellows forward that they would
went aboard the Spaniard. They replied that
they would stand that for the sake OF seeing
what a Spanish Inan-of-war looked like inboaId.
80 the old American tar consented to convoy
them, over to the Spanish ship. partly to ascer-
tain by personal investigation if the manners Of
with reference to their reception of visiting
American, man'of-war's men since he had given
He took charge of the party of thirty Ameri.
can bluejackcts and marines who went off to
nee with the custom. the bo'sun's mate stepped
to the head Of the gangway first and presented
his list Of American tarS and sea soldiers to the
officer, q very young man. took the list Raught.
lily, nodded grumpily, and glowered when he
was sizing him up, The latter stepped back TO
the gangWay and beckoned to the men in the
all aboard:and stood the bo'snn's mates roll call
muster. the latter gave them the nod TO disperso.
J Stt.d IS IN he adj did yi 10 the ySSang officer Of tho deck
took a couple Of them by the shoulders ana at
a hard proposition in this attempt.
The two brawny men he endeayored 10 push
the eye. with both surprise aud anger in their
hDTYp IsJ II. The The old bo,sunss mates eyes
md saluisd ' rcsppectfuIily. '"0 0nl'eF OF 'N0 deck
IT you'll Just tell me what's the matter. SIR"
said he. IN try to handle this gang O. nlino all
5 3%h ! w sneno ,h hSy 'SsO crowded sdIr-9SH Sayh Just nsol ea to
Forward! oiwapd. onnick.!"e Was t%s , o,',v
rSsplEE Of the Spanish ensign, whose knowledge
words. Then ne grabbed a couple more of The
nited states bluejackets by TIE sleeves of their
shirts and attempted to lead them
ID forward. They, too, stood stock still, with
The steam cutter Of the Boston. Which brought
rome back TO the ship and was not to return for
a me VISITING ndpf4od Party for an hour, The old bo,sun's
o go forward and wait for five minutes. Then
Isck saiut ma,t tae yJG1ng Spanish officer Of the
plunged ipto the water. and swan hand over
and 10 the Eo3ton's gangway ladder. Dripping.
e 4o. m q oai IL, the Eanswsy ladder and told the
70 return from the Spaniard whenever
a nS t G1saer q b. ne ,e, de ok would be pleased to send
%eception, the Boston's Visiting party had re.
eived aboard tho Spanish cruiser. and the
team cutter was sent over after them four
ellis; for the American officers knew that the
nd bo'sun's. mate WAS u solid, sensible man.
vho would have done nothing out Of the way
'ad not there been occasion for II. The officers
Z the boston spoke their minds unoficially on
he matter to the skipper OF the Spanish cruiser
shore at tho Merchants Club, and he apolo.
lied with his hand over his heart. but there
vas no further Interchange of ci%vilities he.
ween the two mcn.of:"nr either forward or aft.
Commanders of United States war vessels
worry a good deal when parties
of the men forward OF their ships 90
lsiting on British men.of-war. When such
party departs from all American man,of.war
or a British naval vessel, most American com. ,
are considerably relieved when the
,arty returns TO the ship all right and In good
hape. There Is some reason for this feeling i'm
he bosons OF American naval shippers. Tho
eason is that Rrog Of considerable heitincss md
reGtlyeness Is served out TO the men forward
n British nlen-of' war. The British tar who
oesnt care, for grog, when it is served out i'm ,
comparatively limited ration portions, which
My whet his appetite for more. goes in for the
ccumulatlon OF his Erog In order To get enough ,
for a comfortable drunk when duty is
GIT; When American sailors go aboard British
the British tars have an cnvu ring =
iay OF breaking out this aggregated groG on iii, ,
niel. and OF llling the skins OF tho American :
full of If, lurily Dut M prr. p,I.