The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-09-09


 " driven by steam. hydraulics, or cleo tricity. This ship has about eighty aux Hilary engines. An ordinary seaman who can calculate, who knows the why and wherefore of the mechanical opera tions around him, is more to be desired by modern captain than the seasoned bluejacket of the picturesque school who was acquainted with all that was to be known of spars and sails. He was made what he was and kept in a state of efficiency by drilling on masts and yards, and now that they have dis appeared finally, the problem has had to be faced-How are the bluejacket, the stoker and other ratings to be deVel- oped and kept physically nt? During the present cruise have seen how im- portant the gyTnnastie instructor is bound to become in the training ships in the ports, and also in the ships at sea. After some days at sea, with little or no active exercise, such as the masts and yards provided, men perforce become
 woolly-headed and dull A day or two ago witnessed the whole of the watch es, under the orders of the commander, doubling round and round the ship to the strains of the band, here and there jump being provided to break the mo- notony Six times round the deck each body of men raced, and at the end many of the less fit were putting and blowing like porpoises, sure sign that the ex- ercise was necessary. Bell bars, hori- zontal and parallel bars, and the boxing gloves have their parts in this effort to find substitutes for the masts and yards.
 One evening I came upon two men, of magnificent muscle, with gloves on, sparring down below" with immense
 zest, and on Saturday afternoon, the days work over, an animated scene oc-
 cured on the lower deck, when the
 band played dance music. Bluejackets chose partners, and round they whirled
 with an energy that would have caused consternation ashore. Of course, they had on no boots This is the rule. In the recreation room at Whale Island, the great gunnery school. remember
 seeing a large sign, Dancers are re-
 quested to remove their. boots The warning is hardly necessary, and the bluejacket feels more himself when his feet are bare than when they are shod. This desire for physical exercise of as violent type as possible affects all classes, and if it cannot be met, crooked temples, listlessness and a loss of esprit de corps result.
 After quarters in the afternoon off, cers off duty will congregate on the quarterdeck in sweaters" race round it their hardest, try their prowess with the skipping rope The last provides
 an excellent relaxation, as it brings so many muscles into play, This vessel is fortunate in having captain--C Captain Charles E. Madden, M. V. O.-who leads in hours of leisure as he controls the
 whole crew during the period of duty, himself joining in these recreations; and a night or two since the admiral joined with the ships officers in the
 lancers on the quarterdeek, when the
 band played after dinner. This way lies that spirit of willing service which oils the wheels of9life on board a man of-war, which keeps tempers sweet and promotes that esprit de corps which spells efficiency. No one in civil life ex- ercises the same authority throughout the twenty-four hours as a captain and his chief executive officer, the com mander, of large ship, and if that 1 control can be exercised strictly and yet without chafing the spirits of those controlled the service is infinitely more efficient.
 Another coming revolution affects the i feeding of the men. On October l the
 new scale of dietary viii come into force in ships in all parts of the world. ]. It should be known that the committee whose recommendations the admiralty are going to carry out was appointed and at work before the notorious play acting" in the Mediterranean fleet took place, two guests on board warship living on service rations. The action of the admiralty did not, as seems to be supposed, result from what has been styled an exposure of the methods of
 feeding the men of the lower deck. It was not subject upon which it was possible to legislate in hurry. Feel ing that it was matter for the most
 mature consideration, the authirities did not worry the committee, but alr,
 lowed it to call evidence of officers,