The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-14
TWENTY-FIVE NAVY BOYS.
Snvannah's Number of First Class
Recruits Above the Average.


The temporary Offices of Ensign Han
rahan, recruiting officer for the navy.
have been the scene of activity for
three days Thirty eight applicants for
enlistment have been examined. and
twenty-five were successful. This is a
much larger percentage than the aver
age in otner cities. Whereas nearly so
have been passed by the examining
physician here In other cities fully so
per cent. fail TO meet the physical re-
quirements.
The applicants are for the most part.
young men who have not yet reached
their majority. A good many call at
the Office. and when told that. owing to
their years, they will have to have the
consent of their parents or guardians,
go away and never return.
OF those who have been accepted, the
largest number have enlisted as lands
men, though many have joined as coal
passers and apprentice boys. Several
machinists and two hospital appren-
tees have also been enlisted. The Of
fees will be open for applicants until
Saturday. On Monday the ensign and
his assistants will open a recruiting
station in Macon.
The successful applicants have been
notified to report al the office Saturday
morning. They will then be sent north
on the Philadelphia steamer Berkshire.
and will go to New York, Philadelphia
and Newport
No colored applicants are received.
Since the officers have been in SaVan-
nah more than a hundred have made
application. The officers found, when
they reached Virginia, that it wouldn't
IL - A.
Charleston there were almost a hun
dred negro boys at the office doors on
the first morning.
The candidates are subjected to a
rigid physical examination. The ma
jOrity of those who have failed are
pronounced by the examining physi-
clan to be undeveloped. 1t is surpris-
ing to learn that in a crowd of young
sters many are turned down on ac-
count of defective eyesight. Some very
amusing things often develop during
an examination. Particularly is this
true where the applicant is color
blind. Several such applicants have
endeavored to stand the test to which
they are committed and their vain en-
deavor to do the right thing has
caused the examining officer much
amusement.
An applicant is shown box con-
steds, and is given one of these and
told to match it. The guilty youth is
very much of the opinion that all is
up with him then; but in the vain
hope of stumbling upon the right color
he feels about in the box. Finally he
picks out a bright magenta and
places it beside a bright green, at the
same time scanning the doctors face
eXpectantly. 1t is, of course, of prime
Importance that a member of the navy
be able to distinguish colors, and
when an applicant fails on this test
he had as well cash in his chips
Yesterday an Irish youth named Tim
othY about Is years of age, made ap-
plication for a job among the blue
jackets When his oversight was
tested 1t was found that Tim could not
distinguish letter a foot high at a
distance of ten feet. He was not to
be turned down in such a summary
manner, and he hung about the office
throughout the day begging for an
other trial. second trial assured the
examining officer that the boy was
very shy on vision, but what was the
! doctors surprise to find that the boy
| did not know his alphabet and had
been trying to call letters that meant
nothing whatever to him. AS appli-
cants are also required to be able ia
say the alphabet read and write, Tim
othy lost out altogether.
Quite a number are declared ineligf-
Bile, too, on account of bad teeth. DR..
Page said that the recruiting station
has been responsible for many a dem
lists bill.