Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-10-24

YNCLE SANS blue jacketed
sailor men, to the number OF
about eight thousand, are go
" ing on a pleasure tour. The
contemplated outing throws
down the gauntlet TO well-laid plans
Of millionaire yacht owners who seek
to amuse themselves in regions where
the world is most prone to smile.
These light-hearted, frolicsome Ameri-
can boys are to be turned loose in
the ports OF the Mediterranean with
their pockets full of money, and ad-
monished to have the time OF their
lives.
They are to be conducted to the pleas
ure land on craft each unit OF which
represents a value of $12.000.0OO. The
ships are to be tied up in the vari-
Gus harbors, with sleeping quarters
and food always ready when purses
are empty No man need have a care
in the world, for his own ship lies
ready to bear him back to America
in time for Christmas at home when
his money is spent.
This cruise OF the great men-of-war
is made TO redeem campaign pledges,
as 1t were. Agents OF the navy de-
partment. have been going forth
throughout the land and asking young
men TO enlist for service at sea. They
have told these young men OF the
opportunities to learn trades in the
-a.,x, - st,a er,o-+ tIa3 10 IN ho had
in maneuvers at Newport and Guam
tanimo. Of the opportunities that the
service offers to see the world The
recruiting officers have not merely
told them that they would see the
ports OF this nation and the Caribbean
but the charm of foreign lands also
has been held out as an inducemeni
for enlistments.
To Redeem Pledges
And now the department proposes
to.make good on these claims. Every
effort is being made to increase tbs
facilities for learning trades In the
navy. Life aboard ship is beint
made heaithful, stimulating and NJ
tractive. But navy programs Of late
\ have included little cruising abroad
The sailor man has known little ex
cept Newport. Norfolk and Guantani
mo and a touch of Vera Cruz o.
! Panama.
So it was determined that a trip t.
the Mediterranean should be made
this fall. Pledges Of recruiting cam
palgns should be redeemed. Secre
tary Daniels holds that men OF the
navy are better sailors and bette
citizens when they go back into pri
waite life because Of these trips abroad
Likewise is the popularity OF th'
navy increased. and this makes !
possible to fill the service with bet
ter and better men all the time.
When the trip to the Mediterranean
was first planned II was proposed tina
the entire Atlantic feet should &c
Then conditions became so unsettled
in Mexico that four battleships wer,
assigned to those waters. The nav.
department coptemplates the relic
of those four ships by four others b!
November ]. This eliminates .eigh
battleships. Then there lie the regula
work in the navy yards which call
for the overhauling OF ships with
certain degree Of regularity that TIL
working force may be maintained
This fall there will be foar battleship
in those navy yards. : So are twelv
ships of the Atlantic feet eliminate,
from the Mediterranean cruise. Their
remain nine great vessels that are a
liberty 10 go.
II was at first thought that som
twenty destroyers would cross the Al
lantic. These little, high-speed ships
the daredevils of the service, do no
take the waves OF the mighty mai
with the same degree of ease as d
the ireadnoughts. They are entirel
seaworthy. but in stormy weathe
they roll and plunge and infiiet grea
hardship upon men and Officers. A
the Atlantic IS to be crossed at tn
season when gales are frequent,
was thought advisable 10 leave the d,
stroyers st home.
But all those ships that are not a
lowed to make the present cruise ar
to be given later opportunity for cruz
ing in foreign waters. and some {
them are to have the privilege OF frs
passing through the Panama canal, a
event that will transpire before tn
new year. They will 20 abroad q
other times. A trip TO Scandinavia
waters is being talked Of for mel
summer. The torpedo fiotilla win lik
wise be given its chance for a plea
ure jaunt that WIN be as good as n
best
SO It comes to pass that the shiI
which will sail from Hampton road
about November ] win be the Wy
ming, flagship; the Vermont, the Obi
the Arkansas. the Florida, the Uta
the Delaware and two as yet u,
named.
Garry Al Supplies
With these bSttleships win 90 thr,
new GOLFERS, the Orion. the Jason al