The Jersey City news., 1898-06-21

LIFE ON The J., SIS. BADGER
How New Jerseys Naval
Reserves Are Serving
Their Country.
ALL ARE ANXIOUS TO FIGHT.
But just Now They Are Pa
trolling the New Eng
land Coast.
ALL ARE ANXIOUS TO FIGHT.

land Coast.
The Badgers crew had little opportun-
ity for becoming acquainted with the IN
habitants of Provincetown, the quaint old
fishing town off which they anchored
about a week ago, as no shore leave was
granted, says the Newark .sCalrs" cor
respondent with the Battalion of the East
New Jersey Naval Reserve on the U. >.
S. Badger Boats went ashore with sup
plies however, and the crews that
manned them, although being confined to
the limits of the dock, managed to see
enough of the place to furnish topics for
the mess tables. The genuine Yankee
dialect is prevalent. A town crier came
down the main street ringing hand bell
and drawing out the events of the day
which concluded with "and ladies and
gentlemen are invited tew attend a dance
at Odd Fellows Hall tonight at eight
o'clock. Admission, thirty-five cents"
The young ladies of the town were es-
pecially interested in the Jersey blue
jackets. Acquaintance were speedily
made under the unfavorable eircum-
stance. and bevies of them would come
down to the dock on the arrival and de-
parture of the boats, while every evening
they would row out to the ship, circling
around her like bees around a flower bed.
The Badgers officers would not allow
the boys to chat with their fair friends
from the deck. but this did not prevent
heads from being stuck through cargo and
air ports through which an occasional pie
or bag of home made doughnuts would be
ushered from the bobbing rowboat to the
wild delight of the fortunate ones.
While at anchor. the San Francisco
would go out every afternoon and it was
reported that a night attack drill would
be gone through. Consequently double
watch was kept on deck with the gun
crews at their guns; but for some reason
or other no attack was made.
Last Sunday morning the crew was
mustered on the quarter deck for inspee-
tion, the officers forming on the star
board, the crew lining up on the port
side. On the flagship the same ceremony
was being performed, her band discours-
ing fine music in the meantime. Captain
Snow stepped out before the assembled
crew and in short speech told his men
that he was pleased to see how quickly
they had taken hold and how well they
had done the very hardest kind of work
He further pointed out the necessity OF
discipline and how that element might be
improved in his present crew; that while
there was little excitement at present he
hoped before long that the Badger would
go where more serious work could be ex-
pected.
Each officer answered to his name and
heads uncovered, thus ending their first
Sunday inspection. Shortly after noon an
order arrived from the flagship to get un-
der way, and within an hour the Badger
was heading out to sea. Just as Cape
Cod light was fading away in the dis
tance a whale was sighted, and all hands
made a rush for the deck to see the old
fellow spout. Night came and with it a
squall. which made things slightly un-
comfortable for the deck watch After
patrolling the coast all night the Badger
headed for Boston Harbor, running in be-
tween the islands, passing Fort Independ-
ence and on to the Charlestown Navy
Yard, where anchor was dropped.
Supplies were taken aboard and the
Badger was ordered to return to Prov
incetown to assist in getting the San
Francisco off a sand bar, upon which she
had run the night before in a fog. On
the return trip a huge hawser was
brought up from the hold and the boys
were eager to get the end of it to the
San Francisco. Consequently when a fog
caused the ship to slow down there was
some anxiety as to getting there in time.
AT o'clock the San Francisco could be
seen lying well up on the bar with five
tugs straining to pull her off. Signals
were exchanged and the Badger dropped
anchor within mile of the stranded flag
ship. The bo's'ns pipe calling the whale
boats crew met with an unusual response
but no sooner was the crew ready when
the San Francisco glided off into deep
water. to the great disappointment of the
Badgers people. The flagship signalled
the Badger to put to sea again and be-
fore dark Cape Cod light was left far
astern.
During the night heavy fog set in
and a sharp lookout was kept, as the
Badger shows no lights, and extraordi-
nary care is necessary to avoid collision
The fog continued all day Tuesday and
during the night 1t was so dense that one
the ship. The gun crews and lookouts,
clad in oil skins. stood shivering at their
stations, the biting cold penetrating to
the very marrow. At day-break a fresh
wind sprung up, tearing away the misty
veil. which had for the previous thirty
six hours limited the range Of vision to
few hundred feet The sun came out
bright and warm oilskins and southwest
ters disappeared and every one felt more
cheerful. AT s o'clock the hills and rocky
coast line of Maine were sighted. Mt
Desert Island lay off the port bow. A
heavy wind churned The sea into froth-
ing whitecaps between the good ship and
the cedar clad hills of Band Islands of
Bar harbor. A more beautiful picture
than the one presented upon entering
this narbor at sunrise. after spending
couple Of days in a fog bank could scarce
ly be imagined
While work and drills keep the man-o-
war s-man quite busy there is always a
chance to squeeze in a little fun. When at
anchor the engineers force assemblies on
the berth deck and listen to the concern