The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-05

my FIRST experience was when o naval cadet
swan too far out from the Constellation. ut
was when I was first In the Naval Academy aud
we we're on our practice crulso) This cadet.
being seized with cramps, threw IN his arms
and called for help; so word was passed to send
n boat 10 him. Then n snilor. n bluoiacket. a
Jacky, rs tho popular word for them goes.
mnde q clean dive over the side aud started to
swim toward the cadet. Then another went
over tho bow. and another and another. until
thore seemed 10 be n continuous stream OF
snilors dropping of from tho booms. The OIL
Ger of tho dock gave n stern order. and II was
passed up by the boatswain, that no more sail
ora should 40 overheard.
i've seen tho snme thing. when another
naval cadet, n clnssmate Of mino. had fallen
overheard. The boat was manned and dropped
without waiting to turn the ship for a leo. Be-
foro IL had gone any distance at oil from the ship
the boat was tipped ovor and the mon spilled
out. There was no longer one, but seven men
struggling in a sea that was running high and
ugly. There wns no order 10 call a second
boats crew because tho boat was ready and
manned without m order. and II wns filled with
the samo kind OF seamen that are on every ship
Of our navy.
This was my introduction. to Jackey the
sailor. and recently. my friends, have had
occasion TO see Jacky where his endurance.
his bravery, and his loyalty were. sorely tried.
(Cheers). I feel that certain features OF tho
recent incident in which Jack played his
part, and played IL we'll. should be refe rred
70 in q public manner. l feel 1t is my
duty TO refer to 1t here. 1t Is known to
everybody that when tho call was made
for volunteers to go In on the Mcrrimnc. men
fell over one another in their haste to be ac-
cepted. On the New York alone 140 men vol
unteered before the order could BIO passed that
no more volunteers were needed. When n few
out Of this number had been assigned to sta
lions on the Merrimac. all, In obedience to
orders, lay fiat on their faces. Two were
stationed by the anchor gear. others by the tor
pedoes arranged along the side. two in the en-
CINE room. It was agreed by each one that he
should not even look over his shoulder. no
mattor what happened to the ship. to any ofhis
companions or to himself. II wounded he
should place himself in n sitting or n kneellng
posture, or whatever posture was neces-
sary. SO that when the time for his duty
came ho could do 1t to the best advantage.
And so they lay. each man at his post, and
under what difficulties you may understand
when l tell you that, out Of tho seven torpedoes
placed along the side, nve had been shot away
by the enemy's fire before the order was given
for tho Mcrrimac's crow to gather Mt the
rendezvous on the quarter deck. Projec-
tiles were coming moro rs n continuous
stream than as separate shots. But, through
the whole storm. Jacky lay thero ready to do
his duty as he had been instructed to do 1t.
There was not only the p~lunging nre from
the forts on both sides. but a terrific
horizontal fro from tho fleet in tho har-
Dor. and 1t seemed as II the next prolectlle
would wipe all the sailors out OF life ut once.
II ever a feeling of zach man for himself q
feeling Of got away from this get out of this
any way. anyhow was to be justified it was
justified then. Not a man so much as turned
his head"
Three cheers Tor Jacky!' howled n voice.
Three big cheers iilled the opera mousse. ana
Hobson led them. throwing back his head and
waving his hand as he cheered.
Then. later. when We wero on the cata-
maran and the enemy's picket boats came
crawling up out OF the darkness with their
lanterns. the impulse was Just as strong to slip
OIL the raft apd swim for the shore. or Tor the
entrance of the harbor. The simple order was
given. o man move until further orders
And not a man moved or stirred for nearly an
hour.
o that same afternoon. by the Kindness OF
the gallant misunderstanding OF the Spanish
forces, Admiral Cervera'- tThere we're one
or two hisscs IN the far corner OF the gallery.
and then cheering began and spread all over
the house. 1t rolled up and down. and tho
nags ana hanuKerchiets came out. ana the
Jacky asked for three cheers for Admiral
Cervera. They came with a roaring Ameri.
can good will. Mr.. Hohson joining In them.
as he had In that for the %sailors.l When"
Lieut.. Hobson finally contPued. the party
was In prison, and through the kindness OF the
Admiral the mems clothing was permitted to
DO brought to them from the feet. one OF the
men, as spokesman Tor the rest, was allowed to
come over TO my cell with a package for me.
~ He amid. . We would do IT over again f0-nipht
sir lCheersl
i next lay when 1t seemed uncertain
whether or not a remnant OF the lnquisition
was to be revived when the enemy did not
Know whether 1t was MS FAULT or ours that q
ohip had been sunk and rather inclined to the
BELIEF that he had sunk an American battle
ship and that we were the only survivors out
OF several hundred the men were taken
before the spanish authorities and serious and
NmnAT1lnAnf nnaAIinnQ mi IN than Rnrnnnn-