The San Francisco call., 1908-05-10
LIFE ON TORPEDO
BOAT DESTROYER
Little Black Terrors Have None
of the Comforts of a Big
Battleship
Water, Heat and Seasickness
Make FI0tilla's Seamen
Long for Land

The gladdest boys of the big feet
to reach San Francisco were those OF
the torpedo boat destroyers.
1t is all right to sail majestically over
seas in a battleship that has bottom
like q brick house, and where you can
almost play billiards on the cabin floor,
but to be pitched about in a hot, stuffy
little boat which dives and rolls and
jumps SO that you get so seasick 1t
seems, as Mark Twain said. that you
will throw your immortal soul up
well, that is a different matter.
A life on the ocean wave, home on
the rolling deep, where winds and thun-
ders rave and stars their vigils keep, is
no tapioca dessert at best; but for abb
solute discomfort and hard work the
torpedo boat destroyer is the limit.
the two worst times we had comm g
around from Hampton roads" said
Seaman John s. Maciejewski of the de-
stroyer Hull, VINO enlisted at Mllwau-
kee. Wis, were Just after we left Para,
Brazil, and this side of Los Angeles.
The weather was something terrible,
and If you have never been on one you
have no idea how one of those boats
can dive into the water, split the ocean
in two and do everything but fly
I don't want to brag on myself. but
there are n men on the Huh. and give
you my word that every one of them
was seasick but me, officers and ak
During those two times the hunks were
filled full of men too sick almost to
move, and it's a wonder the engineers
were able to stay at their posts.
The discomforts of life aboard q
destroyer are very great I have been
n IL = he
and have seen and felt enough to know.
"One of the worst things is the mat
ter of sleep. 1t is only near the front
that a man can sleep at all with any
comfort Aft, near the four big boil
ers, 1t Is SO hot that sleep is almost I'm
possible. Besides. when the sea is
rough, so much water pours into the
vessel that nearly every bunk is wet
It's no joke trying to sleep with the
water splashing up in your face just
about the time you are doing away
Many a time when l had the watch
from midnight till 4 in the morning
have piled into my bunk at S o'clock
in the evening and then gone on duty
without wink.
HEAT ALMOST UNBEATABLE
Another disagreeable feature is the
intense heat. The four boilers throw
out great volume, and in the summer
time, or when sailing through the
tropics, the combination is almost un-
bearable. Then men around the furns
aces get so grimy you can't tell
whether they are black or white. The
deck gets SO hot that the steel burns
your feet through your shoes.
While have never had much trouble
myself, 1t seems to me that a man can
get sicker on torpedo boat destroyer
than anywhere else in the world, judg-
ing by the actions of some men, Once
my captain came rushing down the deck
trying to reach the edge before he let
go, and 1 laughed at him. After he
got so he could talk he said:
Because you never get seasick
yourself you needn't stand there laugh
ing at those who do. I'll just set you
back four numbers for that And he
did. That kept me on board ship three
months without putting my foot on the
ground.
I'VE have one OF the finest COM
manders In the navy, l think-Frank
McCommon He is from Los Angeles,
and all you Californians ought to be
proud of lIim. I am sure his men are
When v e were at the port Of Los
Angeles an old gentleman came up to
me and asked, is Mr.. McCommon in?'
I said, Yes, sir; he's aboard. What
shall l tell him your name is?'
McCommon,' he said, and I knew
right away that he must be the COM
mander's father. And sure enough he
was. He rushed out and grabbed the
old gentleman with both hands and
said. Well, well, how are you, father?'
and dragged him aboard
Commander McCommon is good
discfplinarian, all right. but he doesn't
like court martial. If man violates
his duty he would far rather set him
back few numbers and keep him on
duty than to attempt TO drive him out
OF the navy"
PREBLE OR PERRY
The destroyer Preb1e of the Pacific
fleet still claims to be the trophy shin
or the navy, as far as torpedo marks
manship is sEconcerned. and is still fly
ing the craftsmanship flag, but it Is
unof1cially said that the Perry won
the trophy this year at Magdalena bay.
The Salvation Army headquarters for
the navy on East street. near Mission.
which is built in the form of a ship
and is called the Conqueror, is being
well patronized by the bluejackets.
Especially is this true of the reading
room and the restaurant. Religious
services are held every day at and
.. M, and every night there is a
special concert for the benefit of the
sailors. The Salvation Army will main
tain this post until the fleet finally
leaves San Francisco, early in July, TO
complete its trip around the world.