Evening star., 1909-05-29

THE allowance list OF first-ciass
battleship. such as the Delaware.
which was recently launched. and
Is the finest ship in any navy at the pres
ent time includes a wonderful array of
articles from champagne glasses TO devils
claws and from brad-awls to anchors
weighing $4,000 or 17.o0o pounds. Every
thing required in the equipment of the
ship is carefully enumerated in the speci-
fications, and it is distinctly stated what
must be furnished by the contractors for
the vessel and what the government will
supply at it's own expense and deliver
to the contractor on board vessel along
side dock or on board cars or wagons at
shipyard." For instance. the government
supplies the anchors, anchor chains and
other cables and hawsers. but the con-
tractor will receive, handle place on
board. stow and fit them in place in all
respects ready for use, according to the
contract.
Any boy who ever pored over the de-
tails of Robinson Crusoes salvage of
treasures from the wreck would delight
merely to read the prosaic list of things
which must be supplied to big fighting
ship. He would like to know for i'm
stance. that in addition TO the anchors.
chains and hawsers the government will
further provide al it's own expense sings
Tor leadsmen. wash-deck gear, broomS
dustpans. brushes. anchor buoys. boat
chains chain hooks sea anchors. heaving
lines. devils claws, shackle-pn tools,
suction hose with strainer. grapnels.
mooring swivel stationery. sponge-ba bath
tubs, deck mats. a combined water cooler
and filter for each onicers' mess. flags
letter boxes. clothes bags. windsails and
bags-but right here stick pin. There
are no more windsails on battleships
With the passing of the old fighting top
and the substitution of the openwork tow
ers. which remind one of the old wire
flower baskets that ladies used to hang in
their bay windows filled with ferns and
flowers. the windsails on battleships have
been finally cut out of the equipment list
for good. Nowadays if a battleship can
not navigate under her own steam she
must call for help by wireless and pound
around in the trough of the sea until
help comes.
There are tents however. and awnings.
and smoke sails, but the equipment list
does not pause for such trifies. 1t goes
on to tell that the government at its
own expense, must furnish coaling hooks,
coaiing trucks. handy-bily pumps-funny
names these sailor men have for things.
And some of them are prosaic enough
too. for Immediately after the handy
billy item come rugs. table covers. under
able covers. table linen-not a t all nautical
nomenclature. Then coupled with car
penters breeches are china. glass and
plated tableware. In the days of Robin
son Crusoe such things were probably un-
known on shipboard. and according to
fiction one would think that sailors were
glad when they had something better
than salt horse and wormy biscuit to eat,
with no table linen or silverware.
One Of the odd things to be supplied by
the government is a boat stove and to
go with it are boat cooking utensils. No
doubt these are to provide against the
day when 1t may be necessary to abandon
the ship and seek safety in the small
boats. There are lots of other things-for
instance, hand and leg irons. ana even
today these form part OF the equipment
of a warship. But on the humanitarian
side there are also life belts and circular
cork life preservers.
1t Is not expected that there shall be
no play In the sailors lives The govern
ment furnishes band instruments and
library books. and it provides for base