The Washington herald., 1908-02-04
or BOARD L. s. S. LOUISIANA,
UNITED STATES BATTLE FLEET,

Neptune. the only king who never dies,
had the biggest job of his career since
men began TO sail the seas on Monday
January g. in the year of our Lord 1905
and the year of 406O or 5000. and some
thing since Noah set up sea calendar
and headed for Mount Ararat More than
140J0 officers and men of the United States
navy, practically one half of its member
ship, crossed the equator at 81 degrees,
il minutes West longitude. and of those
fully 1860 had 20 be initiated into the
solemn mysteries Of the Ancient Order
Of the Deep"
IL was the proudest day that Neptunus
Rex ever experienced lie said so him
self and he put on great airs and stUtted
about with the dignity and pomp that
bent his majestic rule as he declared that
lie was the only king by all the mer-
maids, sea serpeuts whales sharks
dolphins, skates. eels. suckers, Holsters
crabs. pollywogs, and jeuy-hsh. who could
ever take possession of the United States
navy.
To get right down TO business, let IT be
said at once that Il was spectacle worth
travelling tens of thousands of miles TO
see 1t was the most elaborate. pains
taking, well planned, rip suortins initia-
tion of the kind ever produced. For be it
known that Neptune does not recognize
as thirty degree members of his domain
any one who has not crossed the line on
war ship. All tie lan5lubbers on these
ships got the thirty-third degree all right
Neptune. not having the attribute OF
omuipresence, was able 20 visit only one
of the ships Of this feet That ship was
the Louisiana. of course. every other
ship will make the claim that he visited
that vessel. but the fact is that he hon
ored the Louisiana alone with his per
sOnal presence. and had to send repre-
sent9tives TO the other ships. IIe said he
came to the Louisiana because he had
heard she was the most famous ship o.
the fleet. President Roosevelt having
made a trip close TO his royal domain in
her. lie therefore selected her for his
visit and he ordered that a special hon-
Orary certificate of membership in his
realm be sent 20 the President and Mrs.
Roosevelt This is being prepared. and it
viii be- forwarded duly 20 the White
House, TO be framed and hung above the
loving cup which the members. of the
Louisiana's crew sent to Mrs. Roosevelt
year ago.
ProcIamations from Neptune.
AS has been foreshadowed already in
this correspondence. the preparations
FOR Neptune's visit began formally on
December l9. three days ont from
Hampton Roads. when Fore Top. the
Official Representative of his Majesty
Neptunus Rex received a wireless
message to organize the members Of
the royal domain ON the snip and pre-
pare for the initiation ceremonies
Thereafter every day while the ship
was AZ sea mysterious pr0cIamations
were posted at tie scuttIe butt the
drinking tank1 telling the Iaudlubbers.
pollywOgs and sea lawyers OF the ter
rible things that would happen TO them
when they crossed the line Dire pen
alties were provided for those who
would try to hide and long extracts
from the Revised Statutes were posted
prescribing the puHishmeuts TO De in
fcted upon the willing and the uu-
willing There was decided uneasiuess
among the youngsters on board-aud
# should be remembered that most OF
the crew of the ship are just above
or below tweuty-one, having come al
most green 10 the vessel from the
training station at Newport-when a
proclamation was posted containing
this notification to Fore Top:
There has been ordered supplied to
YOU upon arrival at Port of Spain
Trinidad. $50 gallons Of coal tar 90
gallons of varnish, 400 pounds Of sui
phur, 4 sets Of razors complete, IS
brushes. 4 sets Of fine rib saws. 4 sur
gical knives. . large meat axes, and Is
pairs Of handouts"
sharpen Bears Claws.
orders were also given for shapen-
ing the claws and appetites of the
royal bears, and warnings issued lest
any one of the Untnitiated should speak
disrespectfuIIy of Neptunes subjects
a day or so later came orders pre-
scribug the height Of the ducking
chairs. These chairs We're to be SO
high that four flDd8ps would be turned
10y tho victims before hitting the
water I'm the royal tanks. Six power
Iul electrical batteries were also or
dered for use. The bears were not to
have any food for ffty-seven hours
preceding the crossing of the line.
General Order No. Z. Of Fore TOP. told
the BARRIERS to mix mUcilage with the
printers ink and 60 prepare the oven. and
the officers and crew were now IN broad
gTins as they greeted your correspondent.
and informed him that he was going TO
get his ali right Then came brain
storms from his majesty, telling how the
policemen were 10 act. ordering that their
'clubs be stuffed with crate bars and
such, and providing how the hair should
be clipped. Forthwith il was remarkable
how dozens Of men rushed to the ship's
real BARRIERS and had their hair clipped
close.
u amt goin' 10 have none Of that coal
tar, and grease in mine" said a frighten-
ed signal boy. A windsail was made to
supply air 10 the officers quarters. and
the messenger boy OF the executive Off
Ger came 10 him ana asked him if it was
true that the members Of the crew were
. be shot down that canvas tube
Official COgnizance Given.
That afternoon Capt Wainwright and
his executive officer. Mr. Eberle. being
sticklers for the preservation Of as many
Of the Old-time naval and sea traditions
IN modern war ships as possible, took Off
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