The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-08-20
WHAT A "YEOMAN" IS.
The Man Who Holds This Position
on Board Ship Is the Same as
q Store Clerk.

A yeoman in the navy is in reality a
store clerk. The rank is that of q
first-class petty officer, and the man
who holds it has charge Of all the
stores and material used in the equip
ment OF the vessel on which he serves.
The yeoman keeps a set Of books show
ing the receipts and expenditures Of
stores and is required to make a week
ly return to the executive officer and
a quarterly return to the navy depart
ment at Washington, which the execu-
tive officer signs and becomes respon-
sible for. Like all the higher grades
of petty officers, yeomen are divided
into classes, These are chief yeoman
and yeoman Of the first, second and
third classes, with the pay graded ac-
cordlngly. On a large vessel Of war
the engineers department has a yeo-
man in addition to the yeoman Of the
ship, TO look after the stores OF that
department, and the paymaster is also
entitled to n yeoman, who has charge
OF the provisions and clothing,
This informs our friend what a yeo-
man is in Uncle Sans service, but il
does not tell why he should be thus
characterized. 1t is not very difficult
20 tsace the origin Of the appellation.
In its original sense the term yeoman
describes the northumberland in
a royal or noble household. For in
stance, there was n yeoman of the
crown, a yeoman usher, yeomen of
lower grades known as yeomen of the
chamber and yeoman of the wardrobe.
a butler was termed a yeoman for the
month. In other words the term was
characteristic OF one holding a subor-
dinate position as an assistant or at
tendant upon some one high / N author
ity. The term, however, has other
meanings. In bills of indictment found
by the grand jury in this common
wealth to-day the term yeoman is fire.
quently used. In this application il
has reference under the old English
law to a freeholder, one who owns a
small landed property. Later, how
ever, the term came to be applied in
a more homely and simple sense to
those who gave strength and support
TO the English armies, and one Of yeo-
mans rank was looked upon ns one of
a body of retainers doing the service
of a vassal. In more modern times the
yeomanry consisted OF a volunteer
cavalry force made up in great part
OF gentlemen or wealthy farmers and
under what is known as the yeomanry
act of 1904 they are obliged ITO under
go six days of training, and must at
tend a certain number of drills a year.
for which they receive a monthly al
lowance. They must furnish their
own horses, but have a small allow
anee for clothing - the government
also supplying arms and ammunition.
Unlike the ordinary volunteer force,
the yeomanry cavalry may be called
out TO aid the civil power, In addition
to being liable for service on INVASION
Of the country by a foreign enemy"
re" OF you there are who have not
heard OF "yeoman OF the guard" as
applied TO the bodyguard of the Eng
lish sovereigns, and more popularity
known as the '~beefeaters." They get
the latter title by reason of the fact
that they used 10 watch the buffet,
and consequently we're called In Nor
man-French "buffettiers," which free
ly translated mean walters at the
sldeboard'" and hence the corruption
"beefeaters."
From all this you CLEAN the general
idea that a yeoman is a valuable MS
s%istant, and hence the use of the old
time appellation in the United States
navy In the manner which has been ex-
planned to you, and which the narrator
CLEANED from one who has occupied
that posiuon.-Philadelphia Times.