The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-08-25
SAILORS WHO RE-ENLIST.
When They Go Into the Navy for the
Second Three Years They
Are in for Life.

| On the day after his enlistment for
a period Of three years the American
man-o- wars man begins to figure on
the amount of time that is to inter-
vene before his discharge. He has two
years and butt" to do, the butt
being the remaining II months and
20 days Of the first year. On the day
| following his completion of the first
| year of his enlistment he has only
year and butt to get through. No
matter if the butt is only single day
under year i'll length, the bluejack
cts contemplates the term with the
blandest cOmplaisance; it is not, at
any rate. a whole year, even though
: it be 3G4 days, and this fashion of
throttlin% each year of his service
makes him happy; it seems to bring
his discharge. and the more or less
tempestuous joys he carefully maps
out long before his discharge, within
closer range. When he has put in is
months of an enlistment, he breaks
out the homeward-bound pennant; he
is going down the hill: and when he
has finally achieved two years and has
only the butt to accomplish, Joy fills
his cup.
"Once a sailor always a sailor" is not
strictly true CT men-o'-war's men OF
the American navy. Only about one
| half of the men who complete the en-
| listment ship for another three-year
cruise. But about nine-tenths of the
| -l,
to lifelong continuance in the serv-
ice. Six years of navy life seem to
| thoroughly inoculate them with what
the Germans call wanderlust When
a bluejacket passes few of his sum-
mers in the latitude of the North Cape
and a couple of his winters down
among the Rermudas or in the salubri-
Gus South Pacific he IS likely TO acquire
a dislike for the climate of the United
| States, and this dislike has more weight
| than anything else i'm forming his de-
| cision to remain in the navy. More
over, after few years in the navy the
| bmejacket seems to become possessed
| of the odd idea that he is really doing
| nothing aboard ship TO earn his pay
|
| is kept from all hands in the morning
until pipe down at night is really not
| work. and with this quaint notion he
| also acquires an exceedingly eXagger-
ated idea Of the terrific amount of
| grinding labor man has to perform
| in order TO gain a livelihood ashore
Put to a blueiacket who has put in
| ,,f,,
| ton: Are you going to ship over
| when your time is out?" and. in nine
| cases out of ten, he will look YOU in
| the eye with an expression of stupefac-
| ton and inquire:
| What do you think I'm going to do
work?'
| Overtime men being shipped back to
| this country on man-of-war are not
compelled 10 do any of the ships work;
| they simply stand the military calls,
| eat their meals and smoke their pipes
| watching the while with lazy happiness
the daily round Of labor of the less for
tunate blueiackets attached as mem
| bers of the crew of the ship on which
they themselves are practically passen-
| gers. The overtime men occasionally
| emit arrogantly humorous directions
| to these temporary shipmates, the
| ships company of the boat that is
! hauling them home. "G'wan, now an
shine up that bright work. We long
| time swab." they will shout to deck
| hand when the officer of the deck is
|