The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-06
A History of Annapolis.

1.-THE United States Naval Academy" by
Park Benjamin, of the class of 1867, at
Annapolis, is a book which aims TO give
= comprehensive history of the training OF
midshipmen in this country, from CO.
lonial days to the present time. The style
is not ponderous, and while there is not
detail enough to make the book seem
cumbrous or overweighted, it contains
much information which will be interest
ing and valuable TO the public.
The first chapter. entitled The Begin
ming OF the Midshipman," contains a brief
account of the way in which this embryo
naval officer was educated before the days
of naval academies, and of the very
meagre opportunity afforded him to become
something more than an ordinary seaman.
a quaint word picture of the midship-
man of Queen Anne's time is given here,
and reads as follows:
All Adnirals as well as Captains are obliged TO
begin their rise here. The Quarter deck is his
ordinary station. which in Winters Night ne
tIaverses Hank for Hank, thousand times over
in a Watch, without losing one inch by Leeway,
provided he be not overlsden. He is berthed in
tina, internal cell. the oTlop, where he that can
chuse to live contentedly need never trouble his
Head with what Lodgings are chalk out for him
in the other World. He can prove the ;,urser a
Rogue DIV 6uhleF sCAlts soHpOSs oohA
OF Punch by the Rules OF Trigonometry. There
is no Controversy but he determines with Frac-
tons, and is very often teaching common
ounces the Rules Of Division al his own Cost.
He's Weather wise enough TO foresee winds and
bad weather, but is never so wise as TO lay mp
for rainy day His backward Stars
and bad weather puts him often upon cursing
his ilI-made choice; and yet his best friends
are apt TO tell him that if he had not tl,mblej
into a ship he had long ago dropped from the
Gallows
The earlier chapters OF the book are
full of picturesque incidents OF the be-
ginning of the American Navy, but there
is one passage to be found here which
makes the reader wonder whether Mr..
Benjamin put it in as he did 'on purpose
or not He tells of the 'exasperatingly
pointless stories gathered no one knows
how and told over and over again among
the rnidshipmen: and then gravely cites
that very ancient tale from the New
England Primer about the rude boy in
the farmers orchard, who was peited first
with soft words. then with grass, and
finally with stones. Does Mr.. Benjamin
mean TO say that he does not know the
source of that tale, and that midshipmen
really told II for amusement?
Some of the anecdotes in this part OF
the book deal with that grim old sea dog.
Commodore Ap Cstesby Jones. To him
came in fear and trembling a midshipman
who timidly acquainted him with the fact
that the steerage was uncomfortable. The
commodore thunders:
Uncomfortable, sir uncomfortable Why, what
BANKED fool ever Joined the Navy for comfort?
This history OF the Naval Academy may
throw some light on certain customs of
the place which, though resembling the
laws OF the Modes and Persians. are ap-
parently meaningless. One of the laws
is that boots shall be exhibited in plain
sight in front of the mantelpiece. This
tale explains the reason for il:
There Is still regulation in force requiring
that the bedspresds in the cadets rooms shall
be tucked under the mattresses, SO that clear
view OF the foor beneath can b. hao That
started in a delusion, duly prepared for certain
officer in charge. lie suddenly popnced into
a room and beheld two feet stich-E out from
under the bed.
he sternly ordered. The feet remained motion
les; then he grabbed them and found In I they
were o.,:; artistically disposed boots.
Next day 1t impossible to tell VINO wss
visiting and who not. From beneath all the beds
cstensible feet protTuded when inspection was
made and the officer in charge dared not risk
an examination. Therefore the regulation about
tuekine Up the spread devised and supple
mented by an order requiring all boots to be
exhibited in plain sight in front OF the mantel-
piece
In another chapter We find al. there is
OF the record OF Midshipmaa George
Dewey, and there would be pictures of
him If these had not been DESTROYED in
FIRE many years ago. The "reminiscences
are few in number. but We are told that
he went by the name OF ''Shang" Dewey,
and stood lowest In naval tactics and gun
merry. the two things which won the fight
at Cayite.
Later, the history of coiored cadets in
the Academy is touched upon, and il is