The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-05
WOMEN WORRY JACK TARS.
OFFICERS TAKE THEIR WIVES
on NAVAL RESERVE CRUISE.

| picata0ns-Neceesary Restraint vexe
tho Sailors-There's . Precedent
Jolly jack tars don't often get chanc'
to carry their wives along on cruise, ano
the fact that two OF them did has set tn,
Brooklyn contingent OF the Naval Reserv,
agog. The Government converted yach
Allen ID at tho disposal OF the Seoono
Battalion Of the naval militia and every
| week members Of one or another OF the
six divisions OF the battalion are out learning
how to splice ropes. splice the main brace
which ashore means licking up highballs-
and getting other ideas that may come
In handy In some real engagement.
Two weeks ago the hrst division got the
boat, and some thirty would-be Adrnirals
sent their dunnage down to Morse's Basin
to be slowed away In the forecastle.
Tho Aileen sailed on Saturday at noon
and when the port and starboard watches
answered to the call Of the boatswain' 3
whistle all was as merry as could be. The
lines were cast of and the Aileen pointed
her nose south, passed out through tho
Narrows, down the lower bay and headed
for Old Point Comfort.
Night came on and all was quiet, save
the throbbing Of the engines and an oc-
casional call from the lookout on the bow
as the lights Of some steamer or other craft
came into view. It was a hot night and
the cabin Of the Aileen was stufiy. Two
whiteclad figures emerged from the after
companionway and ourled UP on coil Of
rope on the quarterback. salorman
strolled aft; not an ordinary californian.
but an !eblebodied seaman.
"Avast, there!" he cried; don't dare take.
your watch below on deck. II you come
up here for forty winks you've got to holy
stone this blooming deck" And the able
seaman placed heavy hand on the sleeping
figure.
There was shrek, another and another.
rang through the ship. Lieut.. Cross
ing, and Ensign Griffith, who we're below.
rushed on deck, buckling on their cutlasses.
The two white figures tainted in their arms
and were carried to the sick hay.
What were they, mermaids2" asked the
man at the wheel.
1Shiver me timbers II know matey,'
was the reply. "but damn me eyes, / think
they must have been sirens by the way
they screamed"
The next morning 1t was noised about
forward that the Leutenant's wife and the
spouse Of the ensign were aft.
'I've hearn tell Of shippers wives goin'
and sometimes I've seen EN- on canal boats,
but Ill 30 all the way to Davy Jones's locker
and back again II ever seen one on man
o'war," said the oldest A. B. as he shifted
his chewing gum and took couple of half
bitches at his trousers.
Il say, Bill. he continued, Il didn't bring
a bathing suit, and darned II / can see
how I'm to get swim this week unless
those officers wives stay below during
Yes said Bill, -and had counted on
sleeping up forward in pajamas-wonder
But. after all. it was fine cruise. The
presence Of the ladies on deck at times
kept the skipper from damning the eyes
more than half seas over at any one time.
1T may have been little unusual-cer-
tainly real sure enough navy men couldn't
do 1t, admitted Lieut.. Crossing last night,
"but the wives Of volunteer officers IRE
quently stay in camp, Anyway we didn't
establish a precedent. he didn't say
who established the precedent, but the
thing like this:
Last summer a captain took along his
family and several guests; one Of them
was a friend Of his daughter who had
been asked to go along on fathers yacht.
Another was a woman who had ten-year-
old boy with her. One day one Of the re-
serves took the youngster through the
engine room, and when the boy told his
mother how kind the sailor had been she
But you couldn't get the real sailors at
tached to the Aileen to admit anything.
Women on board this boat on a cruise!"
said Pete Larsen. Never, unless it was
regular ladies' day-never. We are sailors
here and the women stays ashore"