The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-19
NO EASY TASK FOR UNCLE SAM TO BLOCKADE n
Ships in Constant Men.
ace Of Violent Storms
as Few F1arbors Are
Available 49, Risks to
Men From Disease

and was. To use the words Of an oyc.
witness. "a brilliantly successful aY,.rv
The putting upon an open beach ~ "a
many men was then. and would boz now
u matter calling for splendid haAd..p,
at every stage of the operations.
1t was not n case Of landing u3rt.ts
of scamcn and marines, but involved
the discriminating OF Gen. SCOTS troops
together with their provisions and mu.
ntions of war. The soldiers reached IN.
shore without the loss OF a single ,e
or the slightest accident.
Another contrast il found in the trea..
ment cf the scamcn then and nov
Down in ,he cold storage compartments
of the battleships are hung tons OF fresh
beef. There, too. are "a variety Of fresh
vegetables. Instead OF that tooth
breaking bread known as hardtach our
jackies now revcl in hot loavcs and
toothsome biscuits. They have ONE.
lettes; they have tempting stows where
their ancient predecessors had 10 he
content with salt horse or scouee or
some other equally uninviting form o.,
sea diet. To-day the man behind :ha
gun has cake and pic and pudding. in
luxurious contrast to that questionable
lump OF dough with rs scattered cur.
rants that paradcd occasionally under
the aluring title Of pumduff.
Sailors nowadays can hate al, m.
purest Of chilled water to drink thay
want. In the days gone by the hu,.
Jackets got n scant allowance of water
from the scuttlc butt, over which n ma.
rine stood guard. and there was rpth.rs
frigid about that cup. BESIDES T.. cane
from the ships tanks, whore Il often !aY
for months at n time, and was llt ia
frequently both foul and str.ngy. t.r
those seadogs had their compensation
they got their tot Of grog regularly.
In stormy weather. In those trop', al
waters. the ports were closed and Surnp-
times the matches We're hattcuc1 dow,
There was no ventilation 10y means n.
electric fans and blowers. Bo'Uc- 4
decks 1t was hot. humid and occasions.
ally noisome. Again. when the dreaded
northers blew. they brought elm
that reached to tho very marrow. AMI
Yet scant Were the opportunities f1r
those old tars to warm and dry tom.
selves after their battles with the storm.
Thor lives were lives OF hardship q.
every stage OF their calling. In soma
tttStS IL WIS NftkS l'tINlf' lllf g f'fttlI f.l-
ers of vessels in the 'iOs learned tn.
we were at war with Mexico. Navs
travelled slowly and II was tho par. -
naval commanders To act promptly Jai
upon their own initiative. But for tia.
zeal California might not NOW h- ours
san Francisco might have fti'cn hef "a
the force Of n British Admiral. and
Monterey might have met with SIM
liar fate. To-day wireless te,'g-Irry
will bind every ship with the Admiral
Of the squadron. and a similar CHAN -
! Invisible waves will lnl, tn, flag :.
ficcrs with the Government a- Wl-'-
.ncton.
What must strike any on" llrar
knowledge Of the character ami a.. ga
Of tn" average seaman in 1886 IS 'hA
extreme ynuthfuucss and the ir.'l
Of the man now behind the rln 4
I our drcadnoughts. S,X'y-o1d ycrre -
II was hard To restrain tho imr, .'r
, of our sailors when landed FIR la =
tack, and yet the youth Of to-.., r'
probably de- his work better #~ 10
the complex mechanism entrus'1 %
him with a cunning Undream,l %
the days Of the Mexican VAR. anj r.
the presence Of his foe. show nor -.t.
restraint and obedience To d.s- ma
than his predecessors who swell u,e-
. tho ramparts and passed tho - 1rtes
of Santa Annals making.