The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-08-05
EXTRACTS FROM THE RuFFA
Lo" SHOW 1T HAS PRO
DRESSED TO a ScIEN-
.TlFlc DEGREES
SUED I'M ANY OLD
PORT.

/ Surprising developments have beer
| attained recently in naval literature
| by the recent production of some in
teresting and elaborate ship papers
| by some of the vessels OF the fleet
| The papers of. some4pf the battle.
ships are in magazine form. and com:
| pare well With many well known
| lyn Times.
To have a paper on a ship of war
seems strange departures but the
| idea is not 3 new one, and it is years
since the first ship paper made its
appearance. The rapid strides made
in the last few months in this art
by the sailor publishers are well
worthy OF public notice. So sexten-
sively has the idea OF a ships paper
grown among seamen that, ar the
present date, nearly every battlcship
and cruiser. in the United States Ma
Wy has its printing plant, and men
elected ITO edit the paper.
A heater and more attractive maya
zine than The Buffalo, published by
the cruiser bearing that name. would
be difficult to find. Not only is it at
tractivey to the interest of members
OF the crew-and nearly every mem
Der partakes of the interest, but from
the standpoint of curiosity, the lands
man must open HIS eyes and marvel
at the pamphlet.
The last issue of The Buffalo,
which appeared in Honolulu. n. T.,
on May 81, contained 80 pages. 1t
was the fifth number of Volume No.
L. The type, quality of paper, the
subject matter, and the Photographic
reprints were excellent
AS is stated on the first page Of
the paper, The Buffalo is published
almost any time, in any port where
the ship chances to be. The price in
the United States is 25 cents. and
in foreign ports by the equivalent
coin of the country.
Editing paper" says the edito-
rial, I'VE find..is something like dying
from thirst on the boundless ocean.
1t is also like starving and several
other Inconvenience" In spite of
this encouragement, which appeared.
on the first page. there was enough.
within to make the reader forget the
apology.
THE average sailor, continues the
editorial, latter a few years expert
ence of the uncertainties of the naval
service, the futility of much planning,
becomes a confirmed fatalist. What
is to be will be, therefore take no
heed for the morrow. is as unqnes-
toned naval philosophy as Moham-
medan doctrine, and many blighted
hopes and heartaches it has prevent
ed, besides much bootless and dis
turbing questioning of the future.
But when q boy or man ,sits down
at the beginning of a cruise to await,
with as great. patience and little eff
fort as indolent cunning may secure,
the end of his four years service, the
theory loses much of its attraction.
I'm four years "a boy may learn
something of Seamanship. something
of practical gunnery; may gain lit
tie knowledge of the world, but he
cannot fail. with mind honestly
open and fairly receptive, to vastly
increase the stature of his manhood
Thrown on his own resources, given
new responsibilities, coming in init
mate contact with many strong men,
besides the new discipline, with its
lessons of obedience and self-re-
the leisure OF the night
watches in the presence of the
mighty elements Of nature, gives OPP
portunity and material for deep re-
Fiction and profound study that can
not fail to broaden and strengthen.
'tDo not waste your four years"
TIC briefly summarize the contents
of the May number The Buffalo, as
a fair specimen Of what the sailor
man can do with his pen while the
cutlass is idle, there appeared brief
articles, written by the crew, under
nom de plume, sporting events, in
Guiding records of games won and
lost by the Buffalo foot ball and base
ball teams, ships notes, the ships tros
ter, personal items, geographical stoT
rfes, answers to correspondence, and
several other minor Departmental
Under the title of The Cruise OF the
a continued story is at presa