Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-12
EARSHIP VISITORS A BOTHER
Prem Aaniral Down the Navy sOOl Wsaris
Of Them.
BIG FLEET DeINes ARE NOT PROFITABLE
Some Agreeable Ones, OF Course, but
Many of the Kind who Look
Down on the EN-
listed Man.

nor the men Tor ara or American ships or
war entertain any particular fondness for
such big fleet doings as are now in progress
at the jamestown exposition. The hordes
OF ships visitors are pretty apt TO get on
the nerves both OF the gentlemen OF the
quarter deck and the men Of the fo'c'sle.
All hands get tired OF the monotony Of
explaining the same old things about the
ships to the visitors-as tired as the mega
phoners Of the rubberneck wagons become
Of their jobs. They tire, too of the ex-
IRENE induisitveness. not to say the pry-
ingness, OF most of the ships visitors.
The officers as a rule show their ships TO
distinguished visitors. friends, people who
approach them with letters Of Introduction
and pretty girls without any letters at all.
The men forard chaperon all of the others
the hoi polloi and some pretty girls Of a
type more nearly corresponding to their
own degree-and they become most infer
nally sick OF playing the guide, particu-
larly as there are no hooks and crannies
where the nice looking girls falling to the
allotment OF the bluejackets can be con-
voyed for chummy little chats. In this re-
spect the officers have an immense advan-
tage, because they have the freedom Of
Wardroom, messroom and so on.
Bxanstae of a Party.
The extremely respectable but not very
interesting middle class folk. especially
those from the west. who know all about
the navy because they've read about 1t in
the Decent magazines, are very exactng
when they find themselves on board
man-o'-war for the first time.
The leader Of such party generally de-
mands to see the captain of the ship as
soon as the climb over the gangwav is
made. The officer Of the deck who comes
for'ard then politely explains that the
skipper is exceedingly busy in his cabin
Can he, the officer Of the deck, be Of any
service to them7 The respectable folk
look bit downcast at this, for the officer
of the deck seems young and he isn't the
boss However, the leader replies that the
officer of the deck might do, In a pinch.
The officer of the deck can show them over
the ship. The officer of the deck mumbles
something about being on watch and there
fore unable to leave the deck. and he
summons the first handy bluejacket-ap-
prentice or sherback petty officer. It makes
no difference-to show the party about
Very often the visitors of the type indi-
Gated take this az a deadly insult. Here
they've come all the way from Ohio or
Indiana or Nebraska mainly for the pur-
pose OF having a good look at some war
ships, and a bluejacket, a common sailor
person, Is detailed to show them about
belittlinE and outrageous. a deliberate. in
territorial humiliation, which they will not
for moment stand or tolerate and which
they shall report at once to the secretary
OF the navy.
Under the Guidance of JacI<y.
II they don't debark in a hum they'll re-
luctantiy and grouchily follow the blue
4an En- h.. fOIN ~ cho
things about the ship, and a good many of
them will take out their pique by attempt
ing to treat Jack, their guide as II he were
some peculiarly degraded and lowly sort
OF bug These songs of the Man Behind
the Gun" sort are very pretty indeed, with
pictures thrown upon a screen and all that.
but when the average Individual Of the
SNUG way OF life comes into actual con-
tact with the man behind the gun Jacks
Just fellow to be arrogant and naughty
with. The American bluejacket very
quickly detects It when he finds himself
being regarded in this light by ships wish
tors and he curls up most nightly upon
such visitors.
The things that they don't see about the
man-o'-war they are visiting under the
convoy of the resentful bluejacket could not
be catalogued, much less described, In any
but large volume. And when at the fin
ish OF such a tour the visitors make the
dismal mistake OF offering their sailor
guide a piece Of silver change in the way
Of backsheesh they are more than liable to
hear something that will send them of to
the beach with a profound dislike for and
distrust Of the man behind the gun
where one Got Even.
fat man, something OF the type Of the Sun
day clothed cattle drover accompanied by a
party conforming 70 his own obvious de-
gree, had a bluejacket guide in a lengthy
tour of the ship. The bluejacket was
a bo'sums mate who'd been going up and
down the seven seas on American ships Of
war for more than score OF years The
fat man and his people were very remote
in their attitude toward this sailor person
with the bell bottoms. The men Of
the outfit addressed him as Say, you
fellow" The women didn't address him
at all, but regarded him with the aslant
gaze. At the end OF the tour of the ship.
when ready to debarl, the fat man pulled
70 "slip IT. to Jack.
That's all right mate" whispered the
bo'sum's mate back OF his hand. Keep II
yourself for shave and shine. You can
get both-your kind-for a dime I'm on
watch. and showing you folks about is
part OF my work. / get paid for It all right.
II Il was up to me and didn't have 10 do II
/ wouldn't show you around lumber
schooner for 50 a minute" and the dead
sore and justihably dead sore sailor man
went for'ard.
The fat man complained OF him 20 the
Officer Of the deck, but the ofioer of the
deck could only shake his head mournfully
end express contrition for the bad be-
Aavior of the bluejacket.
me Tuning fat man elambered into the
steam cutter vowing and vumming that
he would report the hull thing. just as Il
occurred. TO the Inauguration OF the square
deal and the manipulation OF the big stick
IN Washington. and he'd be willing TO bet
that there'd oe some pups OF naval officers
educated at the expense OF the hun pee
pui--looking around for work just soon
as Teddy heard about IT, whereupOn the
officer OF the deck again shook his head
sadly as he leaned over the side waiting
TO give the word TO the cox-un OF the cutter
20 shove or, and the incident was over.
But II was only one OF a hundred such incl
dents that happen every time a feet Is
brought together for inspection by mis-
eellaneous types OF ships visitors.