The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-01-30
old Time MIDDIES
They Were Tots Of Schoolboys,
Some Not In Their Teens.
TOO YOUNG TO WEAR SWORDS

Though, Farragut and Porter Being
In Battles at the Age Of Twelve.
Something more than hundred years
ago the midshipman was, indeed, the
"midshipmite" that he was popularity
called, for he was but a mite of lad,
usually receiving his appointment be-
fore lie reached his teens. Admirals
Farragut and Porter were midshipmen,
afloat and in pitched battles, at twelve
years of age, and GoldsborOugh was
appointed when only seven years old.
Nowadays, however, the midshipman
is quite q different person. He cannot
enter the Naval academy under fifteen
and Is therefore when on regular
cruising ship after completing his four
gears academic course usually n well
developed man, physically mature and
athletic and with trained mind. He
is far better equipped mentally than
the lleutenants and many Of the cap
tains of even seventy years ago.
The old time middies were mere
schoolboys. All the warships Of any
size carried In their regular compile
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 schoolmaster was abol-
ished, In fact, only about twenty years
ago, but after the establishment Of the
Naval academy, in 1871, these officials
devoted their energies to the sailor ap.
prentices only, the enlisted boys Of the
forecastle. Even these now obtain
their education on shore.
There ~ 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-
mated century or more ago, when
their presence was needed to discour-
age the youngsters from brushing their
noses with their sleeves. This is prob
ably base slander, modern research
indicating that the buttons are relics
of the days when there was a cuff flap
on the sleeve.
At all events the extreme youth of
the midshipmite used to be his most
conspicuous characteristic. Instead of
the full sized regulation officers sword
that he now carries. he wore little
straight bladed dirk about foot long.
He was to large extent messenger
for carrying orders about the ship, but
he also took charge Of boats and COM
manded men despite his youth. He
was frequently placed In charge Of
prize captured in war, taking her into
port, and not infrequently suppressing
mutinies among the prisoners on board.
Farragut was prize master at twelve
and got his prize safely In.
The title 'midshipman" is an ancient
one. He Is above the seamen and the
petty officers forward and below the
commissioned officers In the wardroom
aft; hence "midshipman." There was
formerly higher grade called passed
btt this was abolished be-
fore the war between the states. Then
the grade was restored. but called mid
shipman, the former midshipmnn be-
ing designated as cadet midshipman.
In 1852 the title of the latter was
changed to naval cadet. which II still
remains. and the midshipmen were
with the ensigns. Accordingly
the time honored title of nlidshipman
no longer exists officially In the United
States navy.
While officially naval cadet. that
young officer Is still regarded and often
referred to verbally as midshiplnan,
for he Is the same creature as Of old as
far as his duties go. But by the side
of his earlier prototype the twentieth
century mildly" IL q savant Trlgo-
was about as high up In math-
ematlcs as the old timer ever went.
The twentieth century lad goes far be-
yond He goes through analytical ge-
ometry of three dimensions, differential
and integral calculus. applied mechan-
les.
Gunnery a hundred years ago was
little more than loading. aiming and
firing mt short ranges. II now involves
metnllurgy, theory OF the combustion
engineering, manufacture and
preservation Of complex explosives and
other abstruse subjects. In all OF which
the midshlpman OF the present day
must be proficient,
Nldshlpmen were conspicuous In all
our early wars, notably those with the
States. with the West Indian
pirates and with the British IN 1912.
They were equally conspicuous during
our conflicts with the Spanish and Eli
plnos. Midshlpmen. 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 pen launch right
into the harbor OF Santiago after the
Merrlmnc, remained all night under the
menncing guns OF the inner batteries
md steamed out again under their fire
In the morning New York Press.
Rlon1 anI Ei.n