New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-18
ODE Shippers Prize Essay.

pouud-ten outdtter's sword The Buster youH
remember. IS 4 modern gunboat. and a modern gun
boat has been described by doctor as "A
medium sized iron tank. full Of men, machinery
and stinks. Yet we perfectly happy in
tank until the skipper sheathed his sword and
took up the pen Happiness is a relative state.
and the doctor. who has a great deal of life
at "Barts." says that it cannot endure Coming
TO Us, ne did. straight from the luxury of iOds-
ings In Bloomsbury, the doctor less happy
than the rest of Us. Properly to appreciate what
IS play fully called home service in d gunbOat.
one should be educated up to it by a commission
in the Red Sea the West Coast. Still
constantly assured the young doctor, the Buster
was happy" ship Ahoat. OF course all happi-
depends absolutely upon the skipper. The
truism need not be labored for this is as certain
the familiar and boring platitudes Of Euclid.
Our excellent skipper retained many OF the best
qualities of youth Although nearly thirty years
OF age and well up the heutenauts' list, he had
preserved healthy interest in female society.
the drama and other things that draw 10 the
beach He understood that and the aliks
needed plenty of leave. There saGAness.
mark you-the work had to be done. and dOne thor
oughly-bUt. in d word. the skipper was exception
ally human and humane.
have said that nearing the head of the
list. or rather that critical from which officers
are selected for promotion. Now. the skipper.
though a smart man. had no family interest no
priv ate means, and war service OF any conse-
Guence Behind two feet or SO of armor plating ne
a. a sub he had SHARED perllously enough IN the
destruction OF West African stockades Hundreds
had done the ike, and the skipper knew that pro
Again though smart ofacer he was not a .sspe-
ciaIlst IL eunnery or torpeao- Thus, as he knew.
lie was liable be passed Contemporaries,
more fortunate IN war service or In x CHASING
might jump over his head. IL may be reasonably
assumed That the skipper, being man OF sense
and experience fell to ponderng these things ID
MS heart as he advanced toward promotion row..
TO insure early promotion in these days man
must oy some means or hnother push 20 ihe front
Fne method he decided upon wrecked the peace
harassing week: and hereby hangs my tale.
We nrst learned the bad tidlnss on tar DAY IN
early spring, at the pleasant time OF year when
healthy young mans fancy firmly turns 70 thoughts
On Nd vnIgarIv Known a. 'sBIne Town and
twas in the dinner hour, when all men smoke in
OF the wardroom mess smoked aft. on the port side
gun shield On wet days We were allowed 70
smoke in our own mess, for, as l say, the shlpper
Iooking it was Observed more than commonly de-
pressed He lit large and evil smelling meer-
silence upon a polished section OF gun carriage
ell; cp@8s saaG rIe v I.S the mndbooIs az
the bows and we're uEder weigh for Plymouth.
sh l,lis Better S than the Persian Gulf
a shade worse" said the Paymaster: '.on .- ao-
Hanged If can understand why the skipper has
IF he doesn't show signs Of moving by to-mor-
row. said No 1. we must ask him to receive a
The doctor gIoomily broke silenca. We are fixed
here for solid month. ne SAID .eyrb- 5o Won
a1vrsvs look on the watery side of your grog2
@ % ff9 9os fasq az the days When he
wild young student on nearly pognG NSeH she
What dyou mean by month DEMANDED ''''
Thirty days, said the doct9r @! ,,,r,,sd in No
The doctor. sill putting at the evil snlells p'pe'
,!Tbe lkipperr he said. els suffering from a
complaint that is very magnaat on ann ,1factiofs
!skittIes' said No / Hes been bit OF color
lately, but there was nothing specially "Fo"s Win
4 n an aEO
pardon ard me- you are mistaken said the doctor ,Ts
days since and Is nov a. It's heishS DO YOU
Are you sertous?" demanded 10 -, - sscE list
The doctor shook his head He 0usnt 20 H ee{
ne SAID ,poI what is termed writer's itch The
term is sef-explanatory- Inc ROMANS NHeu -
Ea on Earth or he want 70 Wv wr bs
about?" objected No / ne hes so SEinne G.A
TIT iSnt correspondence" said the doctor They
ca3 hardy qfsrs i' The disease has assumed
very viruient form The skipper is resolved to
~ The ROYAL United Service Institution -
We looked at one another more IN sor'o" tia"
WY? What for? Absurd" expostuIated No 1
I'm stating 6o tac' ee Under the deiusion that
he can let of an essay that viii secure the Go'o
~ don't believe he has ever composed a dozen
in his nfg urged M No shin L S an tbs hos ''
$50 ventIIred to hint said the doctor, put II
seems tat IN ne library Of the institution He admits
that the subject laid down for the competitor IS
10 him virgin soil. He has taken a season tlCHe1
for month. and ordered cargo or 1echnleaI
books for a start -. s,,..
suggested the paymaster. thOushtfully, we could
get him quite a decent sized one for ten 0oo
You don't understand his complaint" moaned
ton OF swollen head This IS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
disgusting, putrd ambition .,,.,,- ..,.,,
Look here. chaps" said No. I, calamity, i II
board him about 1t. He's the best skipper in the
two hemlspheres. and I may be able TO reason
,.rftb mir SOuerhinz be done lie or
Blue Town for solid month Is unthinkabIe' He
knocked his pipe upon the gun-carriass N MS
we waited his return in expectant silence. for
No ! was not without influence with the skipper
In something we'll under three minutes No I
rejoneJ Us. We read failure IN his expressive
fA 4:sv5Pjse: a mn Ss6T7sea
1t is not well snapped No L The old man
We pressed for particulars but did not easily
vereiy snubbed. even, I think. driven from the
cabin under violent discharge or bad aIgu4 age
rotten essay with the insane idea OF getting his
p'9 STore likely TO damn MS promotion said the
!!So hinted" said No l. II limited it with
deIicacy combined with the utmost respect but
he didn't take Il in a reasonable spirit He was,
"F"v, aid YOU word it, asked the paymaster.
forget the s e1fo p6nfe oat o two
reasons why he must fail to win the rotten medal
writing than naked svags; seeond1Sy, Yin, tnaI the
PRINCIPLES Of str2 s e weFs G1GSk 10 n
He took it in quite the wrong spirit sid No
hibiton Of temper and wounded vanity, In short
nv him again this evening urged the pay
.ryyo,, ran take on the demonstrating I'm sure
you'd word it tactfuy. You can wade in at once.
table. with ream OF service foolscap in front OF
him Sgars OF Books n on the cabin ocr 70 sink
us stern first If the old man takes IN more lit
erature I shall have to shift the after gun to tho