Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-09-11
SON REBUKES FATHER
Instances of the Power of Etiquette
 in the Navy.

in the Navy.
 It has been said of the American. navy that the officers are more exact i'll the observance of etiquette and the proper courtesies than those of other navies, and that the minute dis
 functions of punctiliousness are more marked among the officers of the navy than among the officers of the army. to be denied that officers of the mili- tary and naval services are apt to be more scrupulous and exactng in eti- | quette than are. civilians, and there
 have been some humorous incidents related of this practice of naval off ] cers
 It would seem, perhaps, that the | smaller the vessel of the navy of half l a century ago the more emphatic or
 more exacting were the officers in
 command in what they considered was l due to their rank and station. An in cident of this character related by one | of the older officers a couple of even- ings ''at the club" was that during the l Mexican war the fleet in front of Vera j of the most diminutive type-improved l affairs
 1 An officer of one of the larger ves7
 sells had occasion to visit one of the little fellows in his official capacity, ! and, ranging up alongside in his barge l (which by the way was nearly as large
 as the vessel he was officially visIting) | he stepped over the port quarter, when the lieutenant in command, in cone 1 of offended dignity, informed the visi- tor, who was his superior by two grades, that his vessel had gangway on the starboard side, and that it was not only proper, but that the navy regulations prescribed, that officers of and above certain rank should board by the gangway.
 The young officer added that, while his vessel might not be much largerI than the visitors barge, so long as itI was in commission and he was in com mand he did not propose to have any of the usual rules of etiquette disre- garded. The visitor fully comprehen- ded the intent of the rebuke, and he att once returned to his barge and went around to the s&arboard gangway and was received by the piping" of 'thel boatSWain's mate.
 It happened that this same lieuten- ant was subsequently, rebuked by his own son, soon after the latter received his first commission. The son was on duty at the New York navy yard, and the father was in command of vessel that had just been put into commission and he was anxious to get his provis- ions and stores on board that he might get away on his cruise. Going through the navy yard to call on the command ant of the station the captain saw his son in uniform walking toward his headquarters in the storehouse, and be- shouted sHenry!'' two Or three times, without getting any response. Finally the son turned about and said in dig nifed tone: "Are you addressing me, sirY'
 'sYes," replied the father; 'T sent in a requisition for my stores, and wish you would hurry it through, so that I can have the things delivered as promptly as possible, for am anxious to get to sea-
 Every welI;' replied the young off cer, q will look into the Inafter; but please bear in mind Chat when am on duty am to be addressed as mister or by my military title; when am at home Or at some official affair I am Henry or anything you please" That the father recognized the pro priety Of the rebuke by his son was shown by his often telling the story aftsrward at his own expense. Hen ry or anything you please is still
 alive, and is yet in the navy El t a 7