The Washington herald., 1909-02-24

Fort Monroe. Va, Feb. 2s.-This was
pay day in the big battIe-ship feet which
returned yesterday TO home waters.
Bright. shining gold currency. fresh from
the Philadelphia mint. was used in paying
OF the officers and men Il was gold OF
the new issue, and most OF those who got
/ it had never seen the much-discussed
figure Of Liberty and the eagle with heavy
feathered legs designed for ornament By
the late August saint-Gaudens.
/ The blUejackets and marines were uads
happy in the possession OF so much
ready cash. but there were other things
that took away a good deal OF the pleas
ure they felt. In the first place. word
went around that the enlisted men OF the
returning feet were not 70 have any shore
liberty untf after the inauguration OF
President Taft. IN which several thousand
OF thrr VIII participate. The men On ths
good-conduct rolls had expected to bs
given permission 20 enjoy themselves to-
morrow in Norfolk. where the buildings
in the business section are decorated
with bunting in honor OF the aeers re-
turn
A brigade from the battle ships viii.
march in q parade IN Norfolk On Satur-
day, but viii be sent back 10 their ves-
seIs as soon as this IS over Another.
thing that helped dampen the spirits of
! the men was the weather. Il dsmpenedI
pretty nearly everything else also. Heavy.
cold rain fell during most OF the day, and.
things presented a dripping appearance.
The officers did not mind I, 50 much. for
those who had 10 duties aboard ship were
privileged 10 go ashore. where their wives
and sweethesrts ard relatives and friends
were wr.-irs FOR them
rear Case of Smallpox.
The officers OF the Vermont were a1'
exception A yellow flag flying from thsL
/ Fermont's fore yard told the initiated
/ that she had contagious OF infectious dis
+ ease on board An enlisted man is under
observation IN the suppoSition that hs'
/ contracted smallpox az Port said So no
/ body was permitted 20 90 ashore from
/ this battle ship. She lies close n shore
not far from the flagship Connecticut
and the yellow hss can be seer plainly
+ from the Fort Monroe dock and the sun
parlor of the Chamberlin Hotel
The officers and men Of the Vermont
/ the Kansas and the Minnesota were paiii
/ first According TO the story that wen-i
1 the rounds Of the feet, the officers oS
{ these three ships took a little run up %
Monte Carlo from villa Franche and
I they need the money
I The paying-on process was interesting.
I Eight hundred thousands dollars in the
shining gold pieces were brought down
Z from Washington IN the feet tender
/ Yankton. which had come home ahead OF
I the battle ships Pay officers with their
/ clerks and yOemeu went over 10 the
Yankton from the other vessels this morn
+ ing and each was given the requisite
amount Of coinage done up IN bags which.
/ the Yankton's pay force took from three
big chests Everybody was paid in cash
Missed the Festivities.
In forbidding shore leave 70 the enlist
ed force OF the feet Admiral Spe-ry made
an exception n the case Of the Tankton-i
This little ship Is the hero, or perhaps Il
would be better to say heroine. cf the
cruise. She served as tender to the big
ger vessels ard in order to keep in touchl
with them when they were in the many
ports visited. she had TO start in advance
OF their sailing dates. On that account
the Yankton's men saw little Of the fes-i
tivities in the fleets honor To compen-
safe them for their hard work and prl-
vations. half the Yankton's crew vas
given shore liberty to-day.
Several hundred blue jackets and rna-
rines. whose terms OF enlistment have ex-
pired, were sent ashore to-day
Many Of them are from the Middle
West. and with plenty Of money n their
pockets lost 10 time in starting home
ward. II they viii re-enlist within four
months they viii be paid for that Pc
rod
TEL with the navy" said one husky
chap, '-you'n never see re enlist any
more
Expects to See Him Back.
The coxswain Of the steam launch which
brought the discharged nan ashore
winked his eve at the crowd or tire land
ing stage and said:
Hell be back with Us when his four
months are up.
officers and enlisted men say that they
had the time Of their lives IN Australia
Without intending TO reflect on the en-
tertainment provided for them In ether
foreign countries. they made It plain that
the Australian government and people
were foremost n displaying hospitality.
There was not anything too good for
the Americans down IN that big island
The enlisted men. particularly. had a
rafting stay of It. with something TO
anuse them al the time they were on
Australian soil What they enjoyed most
was the pugiiistic encounter between
ToszTny Burns and SQuires at Melbourne.
But don't talk 10 me OF sunny Italy
any more was the observation OF cns
enlisted man. IT rained al the tine We
were there, and We never saw no sun
Wen Behind the ShOvels.
The men behind the coal shovels were
the real heroes C the cruise" said
Father Matthew c. Gleason. chaplain OF
the feet. who was aboard the flagship