The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-05-27
MARINES DRILLING ON BOARD SHIP.

afioat he is at home, and that is more
than most Of us can claim. We are
aliens in one place or the other. He can
sleep in hammock or cot, march up
hill and down past the companionway
with the deck aslew or tread back and
forth on solid. level tagging before the
gate OF a navy yard. He is soldier and
sailor, too, !" and is always ready to do
the work Of both for the pay of one.
Yet we don't give the marine his due
half the time. In five out of ten cases
Bill Anthony, who coolly saluted Cap
tain Sigsbee and said, "Sif, have to
report that the ship has been blown up
and is sinking" is referred to as that
gallant bluejacket" or "brave sailor
or intrepid jack tar" But Bill An
thony is not bluejacket at all. He is
q marine and, as he himself says, only
did what any of his comrades would
have done when, in the midst of that
awful confusion, he forgot to be fright
.ened and remembered only his duty.
The marine is too busy to spend much
time calling for his rights In time Of
peace he is chiefly occupied in policing
on in time of war, he is in the thick of
1t, getting killed with surprising and
most depressing frequency.
There is a landsman s tradition to the
effect that the sailor hates the marine
with bitter and undying hatred. This
is far from true. The bluejacket has
his little quarrel with the marine, as
he has with every other class of indi-
viduals afloat or ashore, but there is
nothing deadly about the feud. 1t is
merely Jack nature to resent authori-
ty of any kind, and as the marine is
the visible representative of the cap
tain's authority he sometimes vents his
spite on the man with the gun. How
ever, he generally gets along better
with the marines than with his own
messmates, and the traditional war be-
tween them is largely imaginary.
A marine recruit just assigned to a
ship occasionally develops symptoms
OF the disease known as ''duty struck"
which is synonymic with overofficious-
ness, and thereby foolishly lays the
foundation of years of unpopularity for
himself by taking advantage of his au-
thority to make it as warm as possible
for the bluejackets. Such recruit,
however, is quickly reproved by the old
or men of the marine guard aboard.
AS rule, the marines and bluejaok-
cts are on the most friendly terms.
There are few liberty parties of blue
jackets bound for a good time ashore
that are not accompanied by favorite
sea soldier or two invited along to help
the sailor men get rid of their money,
for out of his $13 a month the under.
paid marine does not have a large
amount for shore hilarity.
The marine corps partakes in many
features OF both the army and navy.
being an adjunct of the former from
the academy of which its officers are
supplied, while upon a military plane
it is entirely distinct therefrom. com.
bining somewhat the elements and ap.
nearance of both the artillery and in
fantry service.
The term of enlistment and pay are
the same as in the regular army, while |
the uniform, although bearing a great |
similarity thereto, is richer and more
varied, the dress uniform of private |
marine, with its epaulets and trimmings |
In crimson, orange and gold, bearing |
much resemblance to that of a staff Off |
Ger of the army.
The regulations governing the corps |
stipulate that three out of the five years. |
enlistment shall be served on board sea-
going vessels, the balance of the term |
to be spent at the barracks set apart for |
its accommodation at the various navy |
yards.
The number of marines attached to |
each vessel of the navy is regulated ac-
cording to their respective classes and |
the stations to which they are assigned,
the smaller gunboats generally being
allowed detachment of 2 privates I'M
der a sergeant, while cruisers and bat.
tleships rate guards consisting of from
80 to 10 privates, commanded by cap
tain or lieutenant.
Their duties on shipboard, while in
volving many details of routine ma
ture, are withal of profoundly impor-
tant character. Am eminent writer once
relevantly characterized them as 'the |