The Washington herald., 1908-02-05
On Board L. s. S. Louisiana.

man on Admiral Evans feet who was not
glad 10 leave Trinidad. The statement
must not be taken as rejecting in the
least upon the officials Of the place. No
greetings to fleet of foreign war ships
could have been more cordial and sincere
than those gwen by Governor General
jackson and his assistants. There was
10 reserve about it. It was genuine and
from the heart
But the Trinidad people did not wake
UP. Half a dozen merchants few Amer
lean flags above their shops. perhaps
fifty persons all told, came out to visit
the ships. the clubs We're thrown open to
officers and now and then some of the
residents might drive or stroll down TO
the waterfront 10 take a look al the fleet
There was two reasons for this apparent
Indifference. one was that the ships were
anchored fully five miles from town It
was like anChoTing a fleet of vessels at
Alexandria and expecting the citizens Of
Washington to flock TO Anacostia to gaze
at them or hire small boats 20 go down
10 see them. A more powerful reason
was that the Christmas horse races were
on. That meant three days of closing the
shops at noon, three days of betting, three
days Of sharpening wits to contest with
three card monte men, roulette men.
wheels of fortune men, three evenings Of
promenading and dining at the Queen
Park Hotel
Enterprise by Newspaper.
How could any one expect the people to
get enthusiastic over an American feet
under such conditions? The people had
talked for weeks. they said. over the arri-
val Of the fleet, but straightwav when it
was announced that the races would be
held at the same time-well. how can any
person attend 10 two important things az
one and the same time? Didn't one Of the
daily morning papers give a quarter of q
column Of space 10 the fleet on the second
day after its arrival? Talk about enter
prise in journalism Trinidad is the place
10 go 10 see a specimen Of it,
Admiral Evans expected to sail at s
o'clock on Sunday morning, December %.
but there was some delay in COaIing and
lie did not get away until p. m
The trip 10 Rio was marked by two cele-
brati0us, New Years Day and the visit Of
Neptune on crossing the line one should
not think that because these letters re-
cord considerable hilaritv ON three occas-
ions-Christmas and the ether two-all
within two weeks, that such is The nor
nal condition on an American war ship.
These celebrations happened all about tie
same time-that is all. The prevailing
e,s.H'tion on war ship is anything but
hilarity, as will be revealed later in these
letters. The story of Neptune's visit has
been ChTonicled separately; the New
Years story is here set forth.
New Years with the Fleet.
New Years. like Christmas. was a gen
eral holiday for the fleet There were
quarters in the morning as usual but
after that there was no work and the
smoking lamp was lighted all day. Extra
things at dinners were provided. As was
general on shore, the new year was vel
coined with due ceremony and celebra-
lions on the ships As soon as it was
night on December 81 It was evident that
something would be doing by midnight
There was no concerted programme
About 10 p. m the officers began to drift.
one by one, into the wardrOom. 1t was a
very decorous assemblaga. They began
to tell stories. Now and then a song
would start Up and all would join I'm. A
fruit cake made by a fond mother al
home was brought out In someWay the
eEgnog cups seemed 10 steal out on a side
table Then came mixture that touched
the spot and UnlOoseued the vocal powers
Soon # became evident that a New
Years song must be sung The Christ
mas song Of the Vermont with the high
rolling IOb-e-dOb swing I'm IT, was taken
as q model and there were q few minutes
for adoption To the Louisiana. When Il
had been rehearsed properly, Il was de-
clded TO send a special New Years greet
ing t. the Eermonts wardroOm, because
the officers Of that ship had made a
Christmas serenading call on all the ships
on Christmas night IN Trinidad. One OF
the Nerm0ut's officers is Dr. F. NJ. Fur
long His mates on Christmas day had
nominated him for president and so In
formed the. LOuisiana's wardTOOm when
they reached this ship. He was made To
make a speech of acceptance and in ap-
parent seriousness he grew eloquent over
his chances and his platform. The New
Years greeting from the Louisiana to the
Vermont was something like this
''The Louisianas wardrOom sends hap
py New Years greeting TO the Vermont
WardrOom and pledges the solid w c. T
Z. vote 10 Dr. Furlong. Back districts
from the grassy slopes Of the Green
Mountains to the saccharine depths Of the
Pelican Canebrakes. all heard from
We're happy and Well Happy New Year,
Happy New Year. Happy New Year "a
you"
Sixteen Bells Struck.
All was quiet until eight bells were
struck and then eight bells more for the
New Year 4 great burst of song start
Jed the officer of the deck just as
the last letter Of the message 10 the
Vermont had been flashed. The song was
Happy New Year. Happy New Year!
We're happy and well
Here's the 10 siana
And don't she look SWELL
We're a high rolling,
RoEcking crew,
Happy New Year Happy New 1earl
Happy New Year to y0ui
The great palm branch was swung
around 10 the danger OF utter disarrange-
ment Of engine room signals and the
officer of the deck grOwled out some
thing about lot of wild Indians. A high
fiinging dance followed on the bridge
with the Happy New Year song shouted
twenty times or more.
Get out of hereH' ordered the bridge
officer.
"All right; well serenade the CaptainH
shouted the merry crew, Down to the
lower bridge, where the Captain has his
emergency quarters while at sea, they
vent The Captain got good dose OF
noise. but being a discreet man never
sd / q word. There was a TumOr that ne
wasn't inside al all and that, knowing
what 90 do on certain occasions, he haC
decided to remain in hts private rooms