The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-10-09
oMENs ON WARSHlPS.


Expectations Which Govern the Old
Salts of the Navy.
The most picturesque superstitions
Of the seas are those which govern a
modern man-of-war- Every old salt
in the navy believes in hoodoos and
spells which may work all sorts Of
evils on his ship and must be carefully
guarded against.
The powers of ships hoodoos COM
mence before the ship has entered the
water. 1t Is generally accepted super
stition that If the first blow which Is
struck the keel brings sparks the ship
is destined to suffer from raking fire
from the enemy.
The old time practice Of stealing q
piece Of wood and Embedding 1t In the
prov for good luck is. of course, I'M
possible In the case Of steel ships,
though 1t is considered lucky to have
piece of stolen wood on board.
Another old superstition is satisfied
by placing silver coin in some crevice
Of the fighting top of the mainmast or
some place below decks where 1t
touches the steel mast. Originally 1t
was very common custom to imbed
silver coin, and preferably Spanish
coin, In the wooden steps near the
mast
Figureheads have been In high favor
with sailors from remote antiquity.
Originally they were carved to repre-
sent some god or saint Even today
sailor would hesitate to sail on an
ironclad without such protection.
The ceremony of launching ship is
merely concession to an old supersti-
ton. The various formalities Of ship
christening have been followed with
little variation for centuries.
In the early days of shipbuilding II
was the custom for the captain and
the crew to eat their first meal slowed
away in the mold loft. Their meal in
variably consisted Of eggs and sulphur.
From this custom has come the pres
ent day practice of providing cake and
wine for the crew. And the old liba-
ton which the priests used to pour
over the prov of the ship as she slip
ped into the water has been replaced
by the breaking Of bottle of cham
payne.
The modern man-of-war dashes into
the water with flags waving from
every masthead. In order to crafty
this old superstition 1t Is necessary to
expend hundreds OF dollars for the
christening Of single ship. But no
one begrudges this extravaganza. In
q way it is necessary.
The good or i'll luck Of certain days
is still belief among the sailors.
Friday is day of Ill omen, and Sun
day is usually a lucky day.
A superstition about women is a relic
Of the old belief In witchcraft It Is
thought that a woman by throwing
sand In the air on shipboard can pro-
duce violent storms. Not many years
ago some women who travelled on
English warships were tortured during
storm to make them quiet the waves.
These barbaric beliefs, however, are
partially compensated by the supersti-
ton which sailors have held for centu-
ries that beautiful children bring a
blessing to ship. Our old salts have
especial confidence In a ship which is
christened by child.
The average sailor is superstitious
about the ringing of the ships bells.
In olden times the bells were blessed
before they were used. At present, II
a mistake is made in striking the hour,
the sailors insist that the bells at once
be struck backward to break the spell,
and if by any chance the wind should
catch the bells and swing them all the
way round or if they strike nine bells
| it is believed that it will be the last Of
| that ship.
All good warships go to the Shores
! of Fiddler's Green" as a final resting
place. Just where this mythical har-
Dor is situated no geographer has yet
decided. 1t is in every way the an
tithesis Of "Davy Jones' locker" A
warship which goes down In battle
with her Gags flying, as occurred sew
eral times during the civil war, goes to
"Fiddler's Green"
The tattooing habit Is, OF course, very
common In the navy. 1t is believed
that an arm or a leg decorated with
the design of gun or sword or some
| such design will never be lost In battle.
| San Francisco Call.