The Washington herald., 1916-06-02
SEEN AND HEARD
BY GEORGE MINER

A remarkable opportunity for summer cruis
on Dreadnought is being offered civilian
by the Navy Department This is the newes
form that the widespread agitation for prepared
ness has taken and from all indications it promise
to be one Of the most popular, riyalins
Plattsburg and the other military training camp
which are to be inaugurated this year.
| The Navy Department has detailed the re
serve battleships of the Atlantic Fleet for th
special purpose. There are nine OF them-tht
Virginia, the Rhode Island, the Alabama, Tho
Nebraska, the Maine the Kearsarge, the New
Jersey, the Illinois and The Kentucky These
ships are all officered by regular naval officer.
land have 40 per cent complement of crew
The other 90 per cent will be filled up by civilian
recruits who wish to enjoy the benefits Of Z
months training men-of-war and the spor
and pleasure which the cruise will undoubtcdl,
lafford.
OF course the idea back of the whole scheme
IS to encourage interest in our navy and give
civilians a knowledge OF ;he naval needs OF the
country which they do not possess. 1t i:
presumed that after four weeks on shipboard these
civilian recruits will go to their homes fairly wei
equipped to act as reserves in time OF war OF
other national emergency.
| Practically any ablc-hodied citizen Of gooC
character is eligible for enrolment this gov
crnment excursion. The applicant must be be
tween the ages of 10 and 25, but il he is desirable
as recruit in other respects year addi
tonal age will not dcbar him
Also the government asks for obligation or
the part OF those who enroll. They do not obi
ice in the future in any way. That is not con
Sldercd at all necessary the mere months train
ing' IT IS expected, will act as leaven among
the civilian population which will greatly en-
courage recruiting in the future.
The expense connected with the cruise is very
ritEng All the government asks is that thC
applicant be willing to pay for his uniform ant
! post $50 when he goes aboard ship. Half o.
! this sum is for the Of his uniform, which
! OF course, becomes his property and which ht
| takes away with him. The other SIS is to pay
! i9r his food during the four weeks cruise. II
! this sum is more than the food actually costs
the money left over will be refunded to him
| There is reason WIZ one should not live
| pretty we'll on that sum, as only So per month a
man is expended by the government for the
mess bills OF Our jackies, and it is provcrbia
meals aboard ship but also most OF the uxures
! OF the season.
The recruit will, of course, supply his own
underwear and socks, and he is requested tc
bring two pairs OF black shoes Also he will
naturally supply himself with the ordinary toilet
ARTICLES. The government supplies his mess kit
will also supply his hammock and sleeping
blankets.
The cruise will start on August Is, the various
SHIPS sailing from the ports at which they are
Mass Newport, R. l.; New York, Philadelphia
Norfolk, Va. and Charleston, S c.
The hrst week, each ship will cruise individu-
ally and the recruits will be taught the general
work and duties OF sailor, mainly deck instruc-
tlOn. The second week, the ships will take part
in the big battle maneuvers OF the Atlantic Fleet
and those on board will have remarkable op-
portunlty to see battleships, cruisers submarines
torpedo boats and hydro aeroplanes in actual ac-
ton in great naval war game.
During the third week, the squadron will
cruise along the Atlantic coast from Cape Henry
! to Cape Ann, while it practices general fleet
nlancuvcrs. The fourth and las. week will be
devoted to landing operations and harbor work
and the return to home ports 1t is in this last
weeks operations that the civilians will be made
acquainted with the harDor defenses and needs
of the various ports to be visited This is con-
sldercd one of the most important features oi
the whole cruise.
Recruits will be accepted from any part OF
must be citizens of the United States and en-,
gagged IN some trade or occupation that is
reputable one. The government has issued a
long list of specifications which make applicants
eligible for. the cruise but in general what
have said covers the whole ground. College stu
dents and professional men Of course quail
fed, although particular effort is being made
to secure them, as there Is no intention to make
this cruise in any way a silk-stoCking outing.
1t is remarkable fact that there is quite as
much interest in naval affairs among people in
the interior States those the coast and
understand that a large number of applicants
at the recruiting stations are men who have
never salt water.
To enrolment for this cruise the ap-
plcant should apply to the nearest naval re-
cruitng station sub station. There he can
get full information concerning it and also be
given the physical examination, which, by the
way, is not at all one. The government
makes stipulation to height weight, but
Of course the medical officer would not pass
man who was abnormally small or abnormay
fat And it is needless to say, deformed men
or cripples or those with any contagious in
fectious disease are not accepted.
Take it all in all, this strikes me as being a
really splendid thing. 1t is certainly novelty
as other country in the world has ever at
tempted anything of the kind; while military
Just about as old as the history of war. I hear
lots Of people talking about this cruise around
New York, and I have doubt that the 1000
men the ships accommodate will be all en-
rolled long before the closing day, which is
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