The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-22
Red Cross Protests.


| When the women who have identified
! themselves with the Red Cross Society
raise their voice in protest against the
!, transfer of the Army transport service
| by the government to private contractors,
| it is entitled to the most respectful con-
| sideration. These women speak with au-
| thority and a correct knowledge of the
service through the experience which
| they have had with it, There is not q
dissenting note in the protest which they
(. make against the suggested change.
j Their memorial to the President VIII
doubtless carry due weight The obiec-
tons which they make against the reIin-
QuiShment of the service by the govern
ment are right and bound to prevail.
Manifestly the transportation OF troops
to and from the Philippines is a vital
question to the Army and to the mem
bers of the Red Cross. No contractor
will ever give, and cannot be expected
TO give, as much considera ton to the
comfort and welfare of the soldiers in
transit as the government is giving. The
first shipments of troops to the Philip
pines We're made in private transports.
The recollection of their experiences is
not pleasant one. Had it not been for
the generous provision made for them by
the women of the Red Cross there would
have been much suffering among the SOL
diers embarked in those ships before they
weighed anchor and left port. Since the
Army transports have been in commits
sion every comfort which officers and
men could reasonably expect to receive
has been provided for them on board
as the government has not maintained
the service for the purposes of gain
contractors would manage it as a mon
ey-making proposition and stint the SOL
olers IN accommodations and supplies to
swell the profits much a nOSSihIe
might reasonably expect a spirit of dis
content TO grow out of such conditions,
which would in the end react on the gov
eminent by multiplying the number OF
assertions and increasing the difficulties
OF enforcing discipline and recruiting.
Men will be more reluctant than they are
now to enlist for service in the Philip
pines if the hardships and discomforts
OF the long sea voyage are increased as |
they surely will be if their tranporta-
uon is Entrusted to private contra actors. |
No citizen Will begrudge the extra cost
which the handling of the service by the |
government entails, and everything
points to the fact that its transfer to pri- |
waite contractors would be fale economy |
and a decidedly unpopular measure.-Ex-
change.
British Naval Customs.
fact not generally known is that the
black silk handkerchief which Jack
knots about his throat was first worn as
mourning for Nelson, and has ever since
been retained. The three white stripes
around the broad blue collar of the SAT-
ior jumper commemorate the victories
OF trafalgar, Copenhagen and the Nile
l nus 1t has been remarked, the Nelson
legend affects not only Jacks work but |
his food and clothing as well. The broad
blue collar itself is older than the great |
ADMIRAL 1t was first adopted at that
period when sailors plastered their hair
INTO a stiff pigtail with grease ana pow
der.
At o'clock each night the sentry in
every ship in harbor fires off his rife
For the origin of this custom we NAV
nave 10 look back to the days of flint
locks Then, in order to test the prim-
ing and see that his weapon was in usa-
ole cohultlon, the sentry had to fire il Off
1acn n-ght There is no necessity for
such a test with modern rifles. but the >
CLOCK hring is religiously carried out.
livery of1cer or man climbing TO the ,
quarter deck salutes. The origin of This
IsaSe dates back a long way. When En-
'Idhu was Roman Catholic country a
4 uclIH stood on the quarter deck of all
hlps- Every time any one of the crew
ipproached this holy symbol he crossed |
imself- Out of that has grown the Gus
ON OF salut!ng the quarter deck-Lon-
ION Family Herald.
The Star Departs
The bark Star of Bengal finally got y
way for San Francisco. late Yesterday
lterhoon- She was to have sailed at
p; M but when the pilot got aboard
IN M elie Jug was alongside, Captain
lherg discovered a shortage of frasb
neat The stuff was paid for. so tba
ARK was delayed pending it's arrival a
heh captain Clberg ordered his meat
was with the understanding that he
ii! req on Monday, and his nervousness ;,
Nations cal