The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-26
old Time MIDDIES
They Were Tots of Somebody's,
Some Not In Their Teens.
TOO YOUNG TO WEAR SWORDS
So the Midgets Were Armed With Dirk
Knives Instead-They Were Fighters
Though, Farragut and Porter Being
In Battles at the Age OF Twelve.

Knives Instead-They Were Fighters
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 mite of lad,
usually receiving his appointment be-
fore he reached his teens. Admirals
Farragut and Porter were midshipmen,
afioat and In pitched battles, at twelve
years of age, and Goldsborough was
appointed when only seven years old.
Nowadays, however, the midshipman
Ia quite different person. He cannot
enter the Naval academy under fifteen
and is therefore when on a regular
cruising ship after completing his four
years academic course usually well
developed man, physically mature and
athletic and with a trained mind. He
Is far better equipped mentally than
the ieutenants 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 it
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 APP
prentices 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-
mated a 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 SANDER. modern research
indicating that the buttons are relics
Of the days when there was a cuff zap
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 a little
straight bladed dirk about foot long.
He was to large extent a 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 "midshipnan' is an ancient
one. He is above the seamen and the
petty officers forward and below the I
commissioned officers In the wardroom
aft: hence "midshipman." There was
formerly a higher grade called passed !
but this was abolished be- /
fore the war between the states. Then |
the grade was restored. but called mid !
shipman, the former midshipman be- /
ing designated as cadet midshipman. /
In 1882 the title of the latter was
to naval cadet, which It still /
remains, aud the midshipmen were
merged with the ensigns. Accordingly
the time honored title Of midshipman
no longer exists officially In the United
States navy.
While officially a naval cadet. that
young officer is still regarded and often
to verbally as midshipman.
far as his duties 60 But by the side
Of his earlier prototype the twentieth
century MILDLY" is a sayant. Trigo-
lometry was about as high up in math
amatics as the old timer ever went
The twentieth century lad goes far be-
yond He goes through analytical ge-
,metry of three dimensions, differential
md integral calculus, applied mechan-
cs.
Gunnery hundred years ago was
title more than loading, aiming and
iring at short ranges. II now involves
theory of the combustion
II powder gases. stress and strain, me-
,hanieal engineering, manufacture and
of complex explosives and
,ther abstruse subjects. in all of which
he midshipman OF the present day
must be proficient.
aIidshipmen were conspicuous in all
'ur early wars. notably those with the
3arbary States, with the West Indian
,irates and with the British in 1912.
they were equally conspicuous during
ur conflicts with the Spanish and Fiji
inos. Midshipmen. naval cadets. had
barge of the extremely hazardous
ticket duty I'm the Santiago blockade.
lose under the Spanish batteries and
ften under musketry fire from shore.
,sdet Powell ran his open launch right '
nto the harbor of Santiago after the
ferrimac, remained all night under the
nenacing guns OF the inner batteries
nd steamed out again under their fire
a the morning.-New York Press.