The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-05-10
ODD NAVAL CUSTOMS
British Officers Ruled by IRON
bound Traditions.
A SYSTEM OF PETTY FINES.

The Way the Ever Ready Scran Bag
Helps to Keep the Ship Looking
Spiel< and Span-Some Rules That
Are Enforced In the Officers Messes.
In the British navy to say that a
thing is a custom of the service Is to
say that it must be done that way and
no other. 1t is nowhere laid down, for
instance, that the senior officer shall
always enter boat last and leave it
first, but the expression on certain
captains face might have led one to
believe that one of the laws of the
Modes and Persians had been broken
when, on taking the newly joined
chaplain ashore with him on one occa-
sion, he said, "Now, then, padre, jump
in," and the reverend gentleman po-
litely replied, CATER you, SIR"
This custom is one of the Oldest in
the service, says the Grand Magazine.
1t doubtless dates from before the
days Of Drake, If not, indeed, from
those of Noah himself, probably the
last to enter the ark after all his jun
iors and proteges had been safely en-
barked.
The gunroom mess consists of the
sublieutenants, all other commissioned
officers of equivalent rank and all mid
Shipmen and cadets. Midshipmen are
divided into two lots, senior and junior.
The former are over eighteen years Of
age and are allowed many privileges,
b.
the juniors.
AS a specimen of the customs which
remind the juniors that they are still
in bondage the one known as "fork in
the beam" is worth notice. 1t may be
sprung upon its victims at any time
during or after dinner.
When the president Of the mess
sticks table fork into one Of the
beams overhead, it is signal for all
juniors to clear out of the mess as fast
as legs, arms or anything else can car
ry them. The last one receives several
good whacks with a dirk scabbard on
the most convenient part of his body
rs he disappears through the door,
The scramble that results would dis
furb the equilibrium of most older and
more sedate diners than those usually
found in gunroom.
One of the most important and best
known institutions in the service is the
scran bag. 1t is well known that the
allowance of paint and materials for
keeping ship clean, as laid down by
the British admiralty, is quite made
quate for that purpose My lords are
much more generous nowadays than
they used to be, but the first lieutenant
commander has still to put his hand
in his pocket if he wishes his ship to
look really smart.
The small supply of these necessities
which the admiralty provides for clean
ing brasswork, ETC., is augmented from
the takings Of the scran bag. A ship
must be spick and span and tidy as
any housewife could wish to see her
home.
Nothing must be out of place, and
nothing must be left lying about, but
sailors, like other mortals, are only hu-
man and consequently leave articles
of clothing and personal property in
places where they ought not to. This
is an offense for which they are liable
to disciplinary punishment. But bril-
liant though unknown officer many
years ago devised a scheme by which
all the articles thus found are promptly
seized by the ships police and placed
In the scran bag.
There they remain until the next
Thursday afternoon, which is the time
set aside for men to make and mend
clothes. The bag is then opened by
the master at arms, and the owners
may redeem their lost property by pay
ing a fine of an inch Of yellow soap
for each article.
The price of this soap is a penny an
inch, and the fine is usually paid in
cash, not in kind. Should a man have
something confiscated without which
he can not manage to get on till the
next Thursday he can redeem 1t at
once by paying double. Not even off,
GERS are exempt from these penalties.
Several quaint rules are enforced in
the officers messes, the origin of which
Is lost in the oblivion of antiquity.
For instance, one rule lays down that
no officer may place his feet on the
table unless he has sailed around both
capes-i. e., Cape Of Good Hope and the
Horn. Any one not eligible found in
this elegant attitude is fined drinks
around by all the members who hap
pen to be in the mess.
English Lawyers Smart Speeches.