The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-12
A SPANISH SAILORS LIFE.
1t Is Made Up Of Mental Tasks and

It Is Made Up Of Mental Tasks and
severe Punishments.
1.-THE spaniards do not know how to
fight their ships" said naval officer.
Il am perfectly confident that George
Dewey could have exchanged fleets
with the Spaniards In Manila harbor
and then have given them almost as
sound a drubbing Us he did with his
own feet"
The same opinion has been expressed
by large number Of American naval
officers who are familiar with the prin.
ciples upon which the Spanish navy is
run.
1t is asserted that majority Of the
Spanish sailors are from inland Spain.
The Spanish merchant sailors, the men
living In Spanish ports who are of age
for service aboard warships, know too
well the cruelties and hardships in
flicted upon men forward in their coun.
try's naval service to put themselves
in the way of being trapped into 1t.
Spanish petty officers, even within
the past five years, have been ambus-
caded ashore and killed by shipmates
that they have thus shanghaied.
Spanish sailors forward are Ill treat
ed habitually by their officers. This
is not prejudiced or an exaggerated
statement. It is literally true. The
officers of the Spanish navy are for the
most part younger sons OF good fam
lilies who have gained their billets not
by ability nor through competition.
but through the intercession OF their
people at the court.
The incapacity Of many of them 10
laughable; their cruelty is notorious.
From the very day that a Spaniard is
enlisted In the ships company OF one
OF his countrys war vessels-enlisted
voluntarily or involuntarily-he is
made to feel that he is no better than a
beast
For the slightest infraction Of regu-
lations he is punished in fashion that
makes his fellow huejackets In navies
like our own and that of Great Britain
flush with anger The central and con-
Stunning idea of the Spanish naval off,
Ger Is that all hands forward are his
servants.
In the Spanish navy every man for
ward, from the chief petty officers
down to the unrated landsmen, stand
by for trick as Wallets for all the
officers aft. They are not asked to
wash the officers linen; they are not
requested to blacken the officers shoes
or pipeclay their belts-they are com.
manded to do these things and tasks
more mental, more repugnant to men
Of self-respect; and the slightest indi-
cation Of hesitancy on the part of a
bluejacket is visited by heavy punish
nent.
When a Spanish officer gets It in
or chief petty officer for any real or
'ancied cause, he does not Immediate
y undertake to secure the petty off,
'er's disrating. Instead, he begins
to humihate the petty
officer.
He calls him vile names in the hear.
ng Of the unrated bluejackets and not
kicks him.
He calls him aft-espec1ally when
he petty officer is showing a party Of
women visitors about the ship-and
riders him to blacEen his shoes, right
n sight Of all hands and all the wish
ors on the main deck.
The Spanish bluejacket, standing at
ttention during the progress Of drill,
nay never know when he is to get the
lat, or even the edge, of sword
cross his back welded by an off,
t somewhat impulsive" disposition,
s Blanco might describe an officer
Tho would order the massacre of the
inmates Of hospital maintained by
'ubans.
The stanchion punishment Is en-
loyed for the most trivial offenses in
1e Spanish navy. The bluejacket who
reaks his liberty by few hours
nows that he is in for the stanchion
lsh when he returns abroad.
The rule O. thumb" is another COM
ION punishment in the Spanish navy
the suspending Of offenders by the
70 thumbs, SO that their feet barely
ouch the ground, from overhead graf
lgs.
Another feature Of the primitive sys-
m is the SOLITARY and fish" infic-
on.
This consists In locking up minor
fender in an unlighted and practically
ventilated compartment and in feed
g him upon salt fish, and no water
hatsoever for couple of days at
retch.-Boston Advertiser.
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