The daily Alaskan., 1912-03-26
OLD TINE MODES
They Were Tots of SohooIboys,
 Some Not In Their Teens.
TOO YOUNG TO WEIR SWORDS


 Knives lnstesd-They Wore Fighters,
 Though, Farrsgut and Porter Being
 In Battles at the Age of Twelve.
 Something more than q hundred years | ago the midshipmau was. indeed, the "midShlpmite" that he was popularly 1 called, for he was but mite of lad. usually receiving his appointment be- fore he reached his teens Admirals 1 Farragut and Porter were midshipmen, i afloat and in pitched battles. at twelve | years of age, and GujdSborough was appointed when only seven years old. Nowadays, however, The midShipman Is quite a different person He cannot enter the Naval acaG ay under Gfteen and Is therefore whpa 6n l regular cruising ship after 1mi'eiug his four years academic course GSiully well developed man. physi lIy mature and athletic and with a trained mind He Is far better equipped mentally than the lieutenants and many of the cap tains of even seventy years ago.
 The old time midLieS were mere schoolboys. All the wurships of any size carried in their regular comple- ments a schoolmaster whose duty 1t was to give the lads as liberal an edu- cation as possible in the odd periods between strictly professional duties. This rating of schoolmRster was abol- ished, in fact, only about twenty years ago, but after the establishment Of the Naval academy, in iSil. these officials devoted their energies 10 the sailor ap- prendses only. the enlisted boys of the forecastle Even these now obtain their education on shore
 There is a tradition that the three brass buttons the midshipman wears on the sleeve Of his full dress coat dur ing his four years at Annapolis origi. hated century or more ago, when their presence was needed 10 discour- age the youngsters from brushing their noses with their sleeves This is prob ably a base islander. modern research indicating that the buttons are relics of the days when there was a cuff fan on the sleeve.
 At all events the extreme youth of the mldshipmite used Co he his most conspicuous characteristic Instead of the full sized regulation officers sword that he now carries, he wore a little straight bladed dirk about a foot long He was to q large extent a messenecr for carrying orders about thc ship but be also took charge of boats and com handed men despite his youth He was frequently placed in charge Of prize captured h war taking her into port, and not infrequently suppressine mutiuies among tbc prisoners on board Farragut was prize master at twelve and got his prize safely in.
 The title. 'midShipnau" is m ancieut one. He is above the seamrn and the petty officers forward and below the commissioned officers in the wurdroom aft: hence "midshipman." There was formerly higher grade called passed midshipman, but ibis was abolished be fore the war between the states Then the grade was restored. but called t-.d- shipman. the former midShipman be ing designated as a cadet midshipman. In 1882 Che tile of the latter was changed Co naval cadet, which it still remains. and the midshipmen were merged with the ensigis Accordingly the time honorpd title Of mdshipmnn no longer exists officially in the United States navy.
 While officially a naval cadet. that young officer is still regarded and often referred to verbally as nidshipman. for he Is the same creature as Of old aS far as his duties co Eut by the side of his earlier prototype the twentieth century mildly is a Savant. Tlfgo- nomelry was about as high up in math- ematics as the old timer ever went The twentieth century lad goes far be yond He goes through analytical ge- ometrv of three dimensions. iiffercntlal and integral calculus applied mechan. ics.
 Gunnery q hundred years ago was little more than loading. aiming and firing at short ranges lt now involves metallugy. thccry of the combustion of powder gases, stress and strain. me chanicaI engineering. manufacture and preservation of complex explosives and other abstruse subjects, in all of which the midshipmar of the present day must be proficient
 Riidshipmen were conspicuous fin all our early wars. notably those with the Barbary States, with the West Indian pirates and with the British fin 1872 They were equally conspicuous during our conflicts with the Spanish and Fill pinos. NIldshipmen. naval cadets. had charge of the extremely hazardous picket duty in the Santiago blockade, close under the Spanish batteries and often under musketry fire from shore Cadet Powell ran his open launch right into the harbor of Santiago after the Merrimac, remained all night under the menacing guns Of the inner batteries and steamed out again under their fire in the morning.-New York Press. Blood and Fire.
 A French editor. anxious for sensa-