The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-05
JERSEY 7ARS ON DECK
Naval Reserves Almost Re-
cruited Up to the Maxi
mum Strength.
BUSY SCENES ON PORTSMOUTH
Noniauk's Crew Cut Down and
Will Not Leave Before
Next Week.
BUSY SCENES ON PORTSMOUTH

1t is many day since the old sloop OF
war Portsmouth presented such a busy
scene as she did last night. 1t was hardly
dark when steady stream of people
began to pour up her gangplank. and as
no restriction was placed on visitors her
upper deck was soon swarming with men,
They soon found their way below TO the
gun and berth decks and sought out the
most remote recesses of the ship. AL
most every one was on business. With
but few exceptions those not belonging
to the crew were the new recruits or can
didates for admission. As soon as the
members OF the crew came aboard they
shifted into their uniforms and it was
not long before the sheep were separ-
Rted from the goats"
Recruiting went on at a lively rate and
In a short time it became evident that
the divisions would soon be up to their
maximum strength of eighty men each
The iiveliest work was done by the First
division. Boatswain's Mate Bloom, Ships s
Writer Rouse and Lieutenant Blount, the
recruiting committee. were kept busy
passing applicants. As soon as the COM
mittee passed a recruit he was taken be-
fore Surgeon Simpson for physical ex-
animation. Having passed this ordeal he
was taken before Ensign c. Frederick
Long, who administered the oath to him
and he was a full fiedged member of the
Battalion of the East. Naval Reserves OF
New Jersey. Then he was given a requl-
sition upon Paymaster Arthur Colby for
a complete uniform and outfit
These interesting proceedings were in
terrupted shortly after eight O'Clock by
the sound Of the bugies calling the men
to quarters. There was a rush of hur-
ried feet over the decks, scramhing up
tYaEf h a
gun deck. Commander Irving and his
staff gathered on the port half deck,
while the three divisions formed on both
sides forward. The chief petty officers
formed next to the staff on the port
side. and the hospital corps took up a
position opposite them on the starboard
side. Executive Officer Mclean took
command. The roll was called and re-
ports made to the executive officer. The
attendance was almost ieo per cent. The
greatest number of absentees were from
The Third Division, but it was explained
that there had been some hitch in get
ting out the notice of the drill After the
those who We're lacking in any part of
thetr outfit were sent to the Paymaster
to have the deficiency supplied. A line
extending almost the entire length OF the
pors side was soon formed from the Pay
masters room. and Lieutenant Colby and
his Yoeman, William Boyd. were kept
hard at work until long after midnight
AS soon as the battalion inspection was
over the recruiting was continued 1t
was not long before the First Division
was full and a waiting list established.
A noticeable feature of the recruiting was
the superior personnel of the applicants,
finer looking body of men has seldom
beeHsseea, and the fact hat the surgeon
did not reject an applicant speaks vol
urnes for the physical condition of the
men
The gun squad of the Newark division
took back with them last night the how
itzer which fell through the bridge last
Monday night, when they were trying to
get it on board the Portsmouth. They
got it on shore all right this time. owing
to the fact that they unlimbered the gun
and took it ashore in sections. The squad
will give an exhibition drill in Newark on
Wednesday evening
1t was said last night on the Portsmouth
that the crew detailed to the Montauk
would not be required before Saturday or
Monday. A despatch from Philadelphia
this morning says that the Montauk left
the dry dock this morning and that a
double force of men were put to work
upon her.
men on the Montauk last night. Orders
were given to cut down the Montauk crew
go many men, and four from each division
were ruthlessly Topped off.
The boilers and machinery of the mon
itor Ajax, lying at Camden. and manned
by the Battalion of the West, were partly
Inspected yesterday by Chief Engineer
Roseker of the United States Navy. The
as it went proved that the old cheese
bcx' which never saw days service is
in fairly good shape and could be de-
pended upon in an emergency. Engineer
Roseker's S report will be made to the Navy
Department after he completes the in
sDection today.
Commander Dahlgren of the Battalion
and Lieutenant De Unger of the Camden
division. with the detail of men, were on
hand all day giving attention to the de-
fails of Ship-keeDing