The age-herald., 1898-06-05

Naval experts of Europe say that if Eng lands highly rated navy were to face Uncle Sam's Jack tars the Englishmen would pant and puff while Uncle Sams boys were still fresh. England has been giving time and money to her navy while the United States was giving intelligent care. An American seaman can do better work left handed than an Englishman or a German can do with both hands.
 An American sailor loves a Union Jack man almost as well as he loves his own brother, but he acknowledges that he is far superior to the rare beef Englishman. Un- cle Sams sailors do not always like ship life for their rules are so strict that every year sailors come ashore to look for other jobs They get tired of doing just as they are told.
 War has been practically lon" in the United States the last two years. Every man in the navy knew that Cuba might be freed at any time and that war would fol- low. Consequently the discipline of war has been strictly maintained.
 The man who works in a shop and the man who, free as air, scrubs the street with q broom, has no idea of the strict rules that hem in Jack Tar on shore and on ship. They begin with their clothes, which are of a certain stuff-the best that can be bought for the money. If he wants anything lighter or thicker coarser he is not al- lowed to have 1t. He must always buy cer- tain material. This is supplied to him by the government for a minimum sum which is allowed to him by the government for clothes And it is the same way with the purchase of his shoes. A certain sum is allowed him for shoes and he is not per- mitted to indulge in any vagaries in pointed toes and patent leather vamps. His shoes are big and have broad square common sense toes and if he does not like them he can get out of the navy.
 His Food
 Jack Tar's food is certain kind. Here is the only limit he is allowed. If his food is not cooked to suit him, if it's too done, or too rare too salt, or to fresh, he is allwed to complain, and his complaint will be listened to with respect, for Uncle Sam re- spects Jack Tar's appetite. But the ques- tion of going ashore is what bothers him most. For the last two years the vacations on shore have been few and far between. Jack Tar is not allowed to land upon any coast where a disease is prevalent For six months he was not allowed to totich the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida or any of the southern states, for fear of getting yellow fever He was kept off from South America by cholera and at one time he was not allowed in the port of New York for fear of small pox.
 Jack never takes kindly to these restric- tions and he comes close to mutiny when it is time to go aboard ship. He receives his pay monthly, and here again he kicks; but Uncle Sam considers it necessary to con- trol the pay of his Jack tars or the poor boys would always be peniess.
 If he sees a fellow who will squander his money some of his pay is kept out each time, so that he will have something to take with him when he goes out of the service. He is told that this money is to take care of him if he is sck, but fully well Jack Tar knows that the government gives him the best medical care free of charge, that he will be cared for and will not lose his posi- tion, no matter how long he is sick.
 Just now when he is under fire his dis cipline string is pulled so tightly that he has no freedom. He has become a ward of the nation and the nations honor rests