The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-28
JACKS LIFE ON A 6ATTLEsHIP.
Holidays Are Unknown at Sea and the
Crew Is Always Busy.

4
Crew Is Always Busy.
| People visiting a large battleship are
| generally surprised by what seems to be
| the harmony of the entire crew and
| would look with horror upon the poor I'M
| fortunate who is classed as deserter,
| though he be ever so brave but the same
class of people who form such opinions
would not bear up under a one-hundredth
1 part of the miseries TO which that jack
| tar is subjected in his daily routine. At
| ter ship hiss been coaled in port been
| cleaned up and is waiting orders. then
| the majority of sightseers are interested
| in him as curiosity, and he is looked
| upon as a being come from another
| sphere, where there is no work or worry.
Now to dispel the popular Illusion that
| these good fellows are not of our world
! let us look at some of the commonplace
| labor that they perform at sea and in
| port, as their time is equally divided.
| A word has been passed. yelled al the
| top of the husky voices of half a dozen
| boatswain's mates. 1T is 5 Oh clock in the
| morning; the ship is well under way; the
| recruit opens his eyes dreamly and won
| ders what on earth all the yelling is
| about on the forecastle; but he does not
! nave to wonder long, for the next volley
! is right in his ear and sounds very much
| like the barking of dog: Get up, lash
up.''
would have no apparent meaning, though
the noise would cause commotion any
where; but to the unfortunate man-o'-
wars-man 1t means Get up and wash
your clothes:'' that there is no telling
when you'll have another chance, and the
battleship injunction enforces the former,
Get up, lash your hammock and store it
away
Now, if the reader ever happens to
join the navy and he is inclined to laugh
at any order he hears. let him take my
advice and suppress his feelings. other
wise 1t will go much harder with him
than he'll expect Let him be meek, fol-
low the rest on deck, get a bucket of salt
water and wash himself and his clothes.
You will always have something to wash
when at sea, for the uniform is generally
white spotless white If you don't sue
coed in grabbing bucket, then it VIII
be your lot to stand by and wait till
somebody is through with one. You must
be in your bare feet. for at that time the
hose is turned loose in every direction
and salt water is fatal to shoes. At G
o'clock the clothesline goes up and woe be
to the poor lad who has not got his rags
tied on Cleanliness is insisted upon and
inspection always follows roll call.
Mess gear or meal call is sounded by the
bugler at 1880 and 1880 a. M and p. m.
This is merely a reminder for the boys,
as time is very decetful on the high
seas. There are about 20 in every mess
and each company has its own meal hour
to suit the cook. So it can readily be
seen that there il eating in some part of
the ship at all hours. In port the lads
chip in a little cash and eat pretty good
food, but when on long voyage the
''chuck" gradually dwindles down to
government straits, bareback salt horse
and weak coffee.
tharp iS nil drill ri
something to be learned. Not the march,
ing and parading that the soldiers enjoy
| by way of exercise, but schooling in ord
nance, torpedo instruction, arm ana away
boats, signal drill, fire drill and general
quarters. 1t is very eXhilarating to be
woke M al all hours of the night for fire
drill. The whistle blows, the bells ring
and as much noise is made as at large
fire in one of our cities. The men rush
in every direction to their respective
posts and what would seem utter confu-
sion to an uninitiated onlooker is the
suit of regular drill. In minute the
men are all posted and the cry "Secure!"
rings out. The hose is adjus ed and then
| things quiet down to final dismissal for
that night. The fellows return to their
hammocks, restless and Disguised
They must always be the alert and
be sure to report at their respective
posts at the proper time for if one is
slow he will wind up in the brig. This is
a prison cell where you are committed
for five days to think over any miscon-
duct of which you may have been guilty
through ignorance of rules or otherwise.
There are four such cells on the Oregon,
two of which are ammunition compart-
ments below the water line, but only
recently converted to that purpose The
latter compartments are alright. The
| heavy iron doors are, however, left open
inches blIt h,
paddock and chain. Thus the prisoner
fmmured in 1t is allowed to breathe and
a good appetite is sharpened to fine
point by hunk of bread and a cup of
water three times day
Saturday on warship Is general field
day. Then routine is thrown to the winds
and everybody takes part in the weekly
cleaning up-scrubbing. painting etc
There is plenty to be done and all hands
are kept a it until things are tiptep and
shining. There is no excuse for loafing
and the lazy man is out of luck on that
day especially.
The truth is sailor never has holi-
day while he is aboard ship. He gets a
few hours liberty If he has a good rec
ord and then enjoys himself to the ex-
tent of his dollars, which must be spent
quick, so that he can get back in time
The Young Mems Christian association is
at present planning buildings in our sea-
COAST cities Tor the use OF our navy boys
when they come ashore. 1t is a good
thing and there is no doubt that they will
be well patronized and loyalty supported
by the tars. 1t is just what they want,
there is plenty of good material among
them. but it needs to be brought out.
The way it is now the good boys go out
with the bad and so overstay their time
and sometimes have to be sent for In
such cases they must pay fines and then
be punished with extra duty or a restric-
ton of liberty for a long time-San
Francisco Chronicle