The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1905-07-20
met THE RUSSIANS
EIdred Davis With Rear Admiral
Trains Fleet at Manila.
HELPED TO EMOyE AND
CARE FOR WOUNDED RUSSIANS
He Writes Interestingly of Daily
Routine of the Sailor Life.


The following letter from Ell
dred A. Davis, serving in the
medical department of the U. S.
Navy, on the u. S. Ship Will
mIngton, tells of the reception
given the disabled Russian bat
tleships and the wounded Rus
sian naval soldiers under Ad-
miral Enquist when the latter
reached the Philippines June
Bird.
Eldred was of the medical
party that removed and gave
aid to the wounded and writes
touchingly of The fearful casual
ties.
This is one of a series of let
tiers that Mr.. Davis will write to
THE Be. A private letter to
the publisher says that he ex-
poets to sail for the States in the
near future, via Europe. He will
favor us with other letters EN-
route, written in his usual newsy
and interesting style. Previous
communications from Eldred to
The BEE have been read with
much interest in Darlington and
Hopkins county. Future letters
will be looked for with pleasant
anticipation. The letter follows:
u. S. S. WILMINGTON.
L.. s. AsIArIc FLEET.
OFF CAvIrE. MANILA BAY, p. l.,
June 8, 1906.
EDITOR BEE,
DEAR SrR:-The morning of June
3rd found the American fleet under
Rear Admiral Train In state of ex-
pectancy, the day before a signal
from the flagship Ohio notified the
ship in good condition, to be ready
to stand out to sea the next day.
Everyone expected fine cruise, the
weather was exceptional, not ripple
disturbed the water. No one knew
or cared what the destination of the
Aeet was, but all hands were salts
fed to know that voyage was be-
fore them, and sailor-like welcome
any diversion to break the dull mo-
notony of life in this climate, and
just now with wars In the ascend
ancy, life In the far East is uncertain
aud one never knows what the next
day may bring.
Life on a man-of-war is regulated
by strict routine. AS usual on the
morning of the Bird, all hands were
piped at three bells and as healthy
young American tars were tumbling
out of their hammocks and scurrv-
ing gally-wards for early morning
coffee, which Spuds, (ship's cook
and his assistants had awaiting
them, and JImmy-iegs Master at
Arms and the Bosom Mates were
yelling and shaking the lazy ones
who would sleep little longer, bu-
giles sounding, pipes Blossoms whistle)
splitting. one wonders If order can
come out of chaos, with this water
splashing, yelling, good natured
mob, with here and there sore
head rubbing his eyes and declaim-
ing In sleepy tone how insane his
ship-mates act, and how little sleep
he gets.
AS one passes along the decks he
hears good natured jests, seasoned
with few quaint oaths as only be-
long to seaman's vocabulary. You
hear a quartermaster tell seaman
that the uniform OF the day will be
''clean Whites you hear an old salt
telling how much better were the old
days, when grog went with early
coffee, latter the u. M. G. A. run
the outfit as he chooses to put it.
But don't pass on, you will after
bit hear this same old salt Dragging
about how much better records his
guns crew have made since their
sccnks (heads) were not befogged by
grog' You will hear one man run
ming down some officer, you Will
hear another defend him, and as a
climax to his argument will declare
that "next to Helen Gould he is the
best friend sailor man has, I'll
would like here to say that that good