The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-02
oaoEALs FOR RECRUITS.
Some Points of the Examination They
Must Pass.

AHs
Nearly every day the rooms on The
second floor. formerly occupied by the
naval militia. are crowded With young
men more than anxious to join the
ranks on our battleships. Despite the
rigid requirements cver 200 men have
been added to the navy from Chicago.
i'm addition to the naval reserve. since
the war began. The process by which
the men are tested and turned into the
lay II qualified is just now a most
interesting war feature in Chicago.
The squad Of recruiting officers at
work at the Michigan avenue station is
composed of Lieutenant Commander
Hawley. Chief Engineer Harrie Webs
ter. Surgeon r. c. Persons and Boats
vain r. f.. Larkin. This board had
circulars scattered all over Chicago,
conveying the information that recruits
who had some experience on ~shioboard
were wanted to join the United states
navy. The circular stated that seamen,
machinists and electricians were all
wanted and all were to be given tests
to satisfy the officers that they had had
experience on s~hipboard in the respect
i've departments which they wished TO
enter. When a man makes his applica-
ton at the station he is directed by a
sailor to the examiner of the class
which the prospective recruit wants TO
enter. If he says he has been "A sea-
man n wants to enter that class he
is directed to Boatswain Jarkin.
This class is of course the largest, 80
the majority OF the recruits first go
through the hands of the boatswain.
The machinist recruits are examined
by Chief Engineer Webster and the
electricians are examined by Lieuten-
ant Commander Hawley. For "A man
to try to fool these expert officers
about his knowledge and experience
would be as vain as il would be for a
bald-headed man to attemp. to make
Surgeon Persons think he had hair on
his scalp. The candidate who appear
before the boatswain must know how
To box the make all kinds of
spices and knots in ropes and have a
knowledge of handling the helm. 1t
does not take Mr.. Larkin long TO Judge
his man. The moment the man takes
. hold of "A rope the boatswain can tell
instantly whether or not the man is
really a seaman. A raw landsman new
er handles the coil like a sailor. The
latter acquires the knack by long prac-
tice on many a voyage and the man
who has no experience cannot initiate
the tar.
The machinist division of the navy
includes the engineers who run the
boats engines and machinery and the
workers on the repairs In iron, steel,
etc. that constantly have to be made
on DOdFu NtSStlS anu ESPECIALLY VII
men-of-war. The candidates for this
class appear before Mr.. Webster and
stand an oral examination, unless they
are trying for upper positions. In that
case they must stand written
tons. The man who tries to make the
chief engineer think he knows some
thing about machinery when he does
not generally gets tripped up in about
30 seconds. Very few apply for the
position of electrician. These candi-
dates are sent before Mr.. Hawley, who
is far advanced in the electrical
sciences. Mr.. Hawley gives his man
an oral examination at the station, but
If he is in the least doubt about the
mans qualifications he takes him 10
some electrical plant and there settles
his doubts in a very few minutes
Physical examination is last and Is
given to all of the men h ave
passed satisfactory examinations under
Messrs. Hawley. Webster and Larkin.
Some of the men who have shown eX-
cellent qualifications when examined as
to their knowledge and experience fail
absolutely when they pass under the
critical eye of DIR. Persons. To slip
through the doctors fingers a man has
to be near physical perfection. He
must have good eyes. good lungs, a
sound heart, sharp ears and number
less other evidences of good health and
first-rate constitution. When the re-
cruit steps into the Doctors office he rs
first told to remove all his clothes. Then
the candidate gets about the best ply
steal examination he ever had in his
life. About the first test that Is given
him is for color blindness. on the ia
BILE at the surgeons side are a hundred
or more little bundles of colored
zephyr. There ara scores of shades and
colors, Zach bundle being one solid
color.
The recruit is told to step up to the
table and toss out i'm one pile all Of the
bundles of red or green, sometimes n
first and sometimes the other. or
course, as the number of color-blind
people is comparatively small. most of
the recruits can accomplish the Feat
without the least difficulty. Occasion
ally, however. the surgeon will find a
man who has absolutely no power
whatever to distinguish between red
and green and i'm addition does not
seem to be able to detect either very
readily. When the doctor gives such
a man the green zephyr and tells hun
To pick out all of the skeins of that
color the man will throw into one heap
red, blue, brown, etc. and perhaps only
part of the green bundles When a
man is found to he color blind his eX-
animation, of course, proceeds no fur
Their. and he Is at once declined, as
ability to distinguish colors Is very I'M
portant IN a seaman.
The mans eyes are next tested for
their strength. An opticians ard -
hung on a calico screen half way down
the room and the floor is chalked Cor a
distance of 20 feet from the screen. a
mark being placed at every foot and
each one numbered. the numbers run-
ming from one up to 20. a man with
real good eyes is supposed to he able
10 read the third line from the bottom
of the card at the 20-foot mark. H.
he can accomplish the feat. however. at
the 1S-foot mark very nearly correctly
the examiner will pass hin on ability
Ia see at a distance. The doctor has
the candidate run up and down The
room a number of times To get mis-
heart to pumping vigorously, then he
places his ear To the mans chest and