The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-20

Wntu tnO lti<AAtO tah jas ~
Another week afloat finds him on guard
at every post in the ship. He knows
every compartment and gangway, has
watched the magazines, carried mes
eages to the officers, 'saluted the ad-
miral and by way Of training has even
worked in the stoke hole, but in spite
of this seemingly endless list OF duties
the end is still far away.
When the ship goes out for target
practice, he finds it out. and with a
sailor over him-perhaps one over
whom he has stood guard more than
oncc-hs learns TO handle and supply
ammunition TO the hits In inc maya
zines and to work the lifts themselves.
He has already been instructed in the
working Of the guns, from the heavy
turret guns to the 9 Founders, and
then ONE tho practice with them
which renders him capable OF taking
Jacks place and doing the work that he
does just as well.
He has heard the traditions and leg
ends Of his kind and has looked with no
little dread at the fighting tops, where
he knows that no will have to go soon
or or later. He does not have to cling to
a ratline, one minute almost in the sea
and the next at the very top Of the
heavens, but he gets very dizzy when
for the first time he feels the ship sink
ing away from under him as ne looks
down; but he learns that, too, and can
make the little guns in the fighting top
talk as loud as the best Of the Jackies.
When he has learned to come down
to deck again at a dignifed pace and to
land safely upon his feet, his education
is practically completed, and IL has TAX,
ELI him six months TO get it. He con-
siders the practice at sharpshooting
with his Lee rife fun. Toplump one OF
the steel covered leaden bullets which
his rife carries into an object OF he's size
of a man at the distance Of 1000 yards
he does not consider q great feat, and
when he learns that upon contact the
steel Jacket of the bullet will splinter
and tear a mans limb off he is ready to
tackle anything, from an elephant
down, at any range.
The marine is the great store from
which the commander of a battleship
can draw in timesSf need and never fail
to find q man who can do his duty.A His
officers, graduates of the Naval academy,
can take the bridge, though wearing the
titles and straps of army officers, when
the need comes, and upon seniority
alone depends the honors, for each man
in the marine line is q soldier and sailor
too.
The private of marines need not spent
his peace days in barracks idly. a
school is provided for him where, IL III
chooses, he may conquer fractions ant
cube root and in time, after his studies
have raised him to the grade of sergean
major in the ranks, should there chanc'
to come q war, the line is open to him
Once a lieutenant it need not be a life
time before no can become q colone
commandant, the highest officer Of ma
rines, and rank with "a brigadier genera
of the army. Once his ivory hilted Off
GERS sword and gold lace are worn h
has the entree to any officers mess an
q place that no man but IL OF his owl
line can take.
The fouled anchor running through
hemisphere traced with the outlines G
the two American continents whic
: adorns the front of his fatigue cap tell
: that he is at home both on sea and o
land. 1t was the question whether an
!, man but a sailor should be placed
: authority over a sailor that made tn
marines place an uncertain n Il
, many years, but for the present it seen
: to be settledN Tho naval commands
, shouted for them when the present WI
= opened. and in order that their meet
: may be filled the present corps of 300
marines will be increased by 400 no
:. recruiting.
: The marine was at tho very begil
. ming Of his existence the man who WI
transported in advance OF an army
= the warships when they were propell'
: by oarsmen and not sails to fight wh'
= land was reached. The marine in tin
Of battle on the sea has n place in eve
: part of the vessel, from the stoke mo
TO the fighting tops. Where a man dro
out, should there not be n sailor to st
= in, he fills the gap. From the tops wi
>" his rife he rakes the deck of tho on
my's ship. or when n land fortiicati
70 has been silenccd TO him falls the hon
u of making the first land attack al
l. raising tire stars and stripes. "a a col
81 sergeant from the Panther did on Cub
q soil "a few days ago.-New York SUM-
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