The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-10-04
HE WANTED THE SHIP
Thought He Was Eligible 10 Com
mand a Cruiser.
An OLD TINE NAVAL PRANK

Upon f@triottc Greek 6oMaFmMfew
BY Some Of Uncle Sans Sailors VITA
Whom He Had Shipped.
"A number OF years ago the cruiser
on which was serving shipped q boii-
ermaker while we were on the Medt-
terranean station" said q retired petty
ofiicer Of the navy "'our former boil
erTnaker's time expired while We weros
at Gibraltar, and as be was not In GOOD
physical shape he wasn't re-anlisted
but took his discharge and returned
10 the United States hy mall steamer
So the ship was shy boilermaker
q very important and necessary petty
officer down below In the engineers
department. and when the ship pulled
Into Naples harbor the chief engineer
ap a boilermaker
There was clause In the enlist-
ment regulations permitting command
ing officers to ship necessary men on4
foreign stations In short handed emer@
gencies. The chief engineer brought
back to the ship a Greek named Char
lie Marc. The man couldn't speak any
English 10 speak OF, but he waa Al
good man at the boilermaking busi.
ness, ana be was duly shipped aboard
Of ~ for three years, He was a Wild.
hairy looking lot, Marc was. and hes
got q good deal Of a laugh as the
hands Of the crew, especially tina
younger fellows from the time he fat-
came over the side.
"Maro thought that there wasn't any
other country on the map except
Greece. and after he got hold Of,
enough English 10 make himself un-
derstood he used 10 take some OF thu,
young apprentice boys up into tho
eyes OF the ship and tell them, with
many gesticuIations and furious words.
Of the different kinds OF tar Greece
could knock out OF Turkey.
''The ship was around on the Pa
cihc station when the war broke cut
between Greece and Turkey. When.
the news Of the outbreak OF the war
got 70 Marc our bollermalEer, he
nearly bad heart disease Mnd a whole
lot OF other sudden things from pure
excitement. He Just couldn't hoide
himself In, be looked 50 tickied.
"'Da Greek man villa bim, bim.
blm, da Turka man. was Charlle'Ba
Maro's way Of putting II, and he didn't
see that the Turk had ghost 90 q
show. All hands forward encouraged
him IN the belief. They All ncqulescedf
In expressing the belief 20 Marc that
Greece would simply eat Turkey up.
| Then a bo'sun's mate who knew bow
to crack the most impossible jakpal
with face rs solemn aad wooden ans
an Indians took Charlie ia hand nnM
! told him some things. lie told Marc
that the United States was 80 muchs
IN sympathy with Greece IN the struE-
| gle with Turkey that The navy depart
ment had decided 10 turn over al OF.
the ships OF the American navy tor
Greek commanders
Here's big chance Or YOU Marc.
the bosun's matc told Marc, You just
want 10 work your edge Here you5
are already shipped on this cruiser, ands
it's dollars 20 dongi1nuts That II youl
ask for the command II this ship im
order 20 take her over TO Greece to
mix Il up With the Turks yoal1 get n.
hands down Ratter try f. %
That Idea impressed A1fl a reap
| lie asked the ho'sun's mate nom he'os
have 70 apply @ 70 set command or
! the cruiser
"'Nhy 10 the c9mnand1 officer.
I OF CON So vns the reflr
"Iaro was UpHeu l9H 81 aoefant
for a day or 40 while he let Gas hrfgu
Idea grow within him, AMI b. bugiod
the men detailed - work with him
! down below ia the boiler roafH s roof
deal Tho bo'knn's mate Brpt working
him up 10 It. aud analiy MAD appeared
81 deck one morning tOEscd ont b hia
very best mastering suit ~ bIuejackpt
clothes AMI went up 10 the officer OF
the deck end asked permission ID seef
/ fhe commanding officer NJ the mast.
/ The offieer of the deck WIS rather sur
| prised to see the man all done up fus
his mastering togs when Oh hard
were az work but ms be "a obliged To-
do when an enlisted man requests per-
mission 70 see the commanding officer
be sent word to the skipper who soors
/ emerged from bis cabin and appeared8
at the stick
"'welI my manT said the skipper to-
Marc, who stood bolt upright and 80
luted with a flourish
"'sare' said Marc TO the skipper. n
hay-a On honor 20 hera-by taka de.
command oGa da ship
Her said the commanding officer.
+ putting bis hand to bis car aud looking
4 as II be hadn't heard arlght
'Da ship repeated Marc. Fora da.
navee Ofa Hcllas-da Greeka navee-E
| hava da honor 20 taxa da command
"All hands among the enlisted men
were mp on the to'gallant fo'c'sie tnk
| ms the thing IN. and they broke Into -
roar that you could have heard Eve Gu
| bic lengths distance Marc heard IN
and, suspecting that his confidence haog
been abused. got red and aabberRasted
He suddenly bottled for the engine
| room hatch and made his way below.