The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-07
our BLUEJACxETs.
4 Defense Of Thorn Against False Reports
and Assumptions.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: II the
newspaper accounts OF the doings of the
bluejackets connected with Admiral Evans i
fleet are to be believed. the vessels must
have sailed away few days ago with large
proportion OF their crews In a state OF intoxi-
cation
AZ soon as the vessels were safely anchored
Ia the North River, II thee newspaper &C.
counts are to be believed. fully 3.co) shore
hungry sailors were turned loose on the citl-
Gems OF New York loaded to the Runwales
with money. and they headed straight for
the Bowery' II was also stated that these
ships were anchored on the Tenderloln. "
Certain evening papers. which make a spe-
ctalty OF sensational illustrations. portrayed
these sailors doing various stunts" In all
sorts OF low dives. and In the same breath
they exploited the great gunnery feats OF
these men.
Jacket As he really Is why as soon as he steps
ashore he 10 supposed to head for the nearest
sinmill or worse haunts OF vice. Our sailors
are very ordinary human beings-no better
and no worse than any one else; and taking
an equal number Of landsmen and sailors
from similar walks OF life 1t will be found
that II there are any bouquets to be thrown
for decent. clean and upright living Uncle
Sans bluejackets will carry of the whole
garden without much effort.
The sailor Of fiction as portrayed by Will
liam Clark Russell and the sailor OF to-day
are As different as the old ships Of the line
and the modern battleship. 1t il a difficult
matter TO get into tho navy to-day. The
rigid physical examination. the requirements
as to age. education. consent of parents and
subsequent period Of observation which an
apprentice seaman has to undergo at the
training stations at Newport. r; l.. and Nor
most important branch Of the eountry's arm
Of men with low inellnations. In fact. fully
training stations take the pledge to abstain
from liquor during the period Of their enlist
sd wht h9sd as all an int
day fully oi per cent. Of the sailors who now
man our war vessels are native born Ameri-
Why. then. cast a slur at the navy7 Why
their due need OF praise? Why not call
they. desplsei Make them Welcome to the
greatest city OF, their country in truly proper
manner "a instead 81 OF publishing them as drunk
The next 1 Day after the invasion of New
York by the 5000 blueja ckets the only sensa..
tional feature Of the visit was the arrest of
Bo,Tery. but away up near Central Park.
have son in the navy and happen to kno "
:a orc oh snd ysF fp a o them fh care
that Ia done by such incorrect accounts Of the
men who man our ships il far reach ing and
makes mai the parents OF boy who has desire to
JON the navy opposed 70 bis choice.
TO break into the navy as for a criminal to
break out Of Sing Sing. The. Bluejacket.
devoted to the enlisted men OF the navy.
gives this table Of the number Of men dis.
charged from the naval service by order of
the Navy Department from Jan. to June Is,
1905. as unworthy OF further training and
for serious ofenses. Men discharged for
"inaptltude" arc included under ."undesr-
able" From this II will be seen that every
effort Is made to weed from the service men
whose characters are bad and who would WELD
q bad In fluence over others.