The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-04-19
The Needs of The Navy.

<APtu 10, 1911. Inc pOWe
OF the Navy is in me.''
Big Jack Dempsey, fireman recruit
mus unburdened himself as he sat will
legs dangling on the turret of the Vir
ginia.
Around him seethed the preparation
Tor war. From the huge Navy Yarc
shops arose the din and clamor of a might,
force rushing the final work to place
10 readiness the big steel fighting ma.
chlnes which are to play such an import.
ant part in unfolding the honor and dig.
nifty of our Nation. On the parade
ground adjacent a couple of hundred
blueJackets were running a quarter
mile oval, hardening up for their work
ahead
Something of the inspiration of this
vitality energetic scene glistened in his
eyes, as he swept his pipe stem in short
semiclrcle before him to emphasize the
might of which he was master.
Huge of frame, horny of hand is Demp-
sey. 1t was only two days ago that he
drifted into the Navy recruiting office to
offer himself to his country.
whether its sailorin' or soldierin' |
told thin at the recruiting Office, its the
same to me so long as can serve me
country. Anyways that man can
serve and do his duty in tonne loike this
is the best way" was his gravely en-
unciated philosophy.
$50 enlist as fireman, the greatest
branch of the service of the U. S. Navy.
''Whin a man has put in few years
on the job, there is somethln about the
fire box of engin that pulls you to it,
vance you have fed the big, hungry
mouths that are always open and roaring.
"And after little ov feedin the big
babies, the job is done an you can take
your ease while the byes above are drill
ling an the ship is rolin easy like in The
cradle ov the sea.
Every man to his task, says l, and
I'm a firemen be inclination and force of
habit. And it is me duty to play firemen
for Uncle Sam whin he needs it above
all others.
"Wance stocked on tramp steamer,
and it was there learned the power ov
me calm.
Il was down where the heathens an
the fever was thick as mud, an wan by
wan the sickness took hold ov officers and
crew until they was only handful ov US
lift to navigate the craft, that with the
fever ragin' we had a powerful time, wan
afther another the byes below fell down
with the sickness, and it was thin the
real trouble began.
at was the Captain himself who came
down to talk to US.
"Byes, be said, 81 kin get along
widout me officers but for the love ov
hivin, me ship will perish if the firemen
desert me in this me hour ov need
"That is why l say the power ov the
Navy is in me. Win the coal stops, the
battleships stops, and the inimy can take
yer at his own time"
"Across the slip between the Virginia
and the next dock, the sailor drill had
spread out into an open order exercise.
They were the linen behind the guns,
an integral part of the great fighting me-
chanism which is soon to spread its in
fuence world wide in the mighty conflict
facing this Nation. looked sideways
at the man beside me, who represented
the silent working force of the American
battleship, but his gaze was lifted above
the immediate animation of moving
units. 1t rested in the smoke clouds COM
ing from the huge stack of an adjoining
vessel.
1.-THE byes hev started work fer Uncle
Sam," he observed, with a touch of
pride. And l knew that down in the
cavernous recesses OF that gray steel
hull, other representatives of the ''power
ov the Navy" were bending their backs
to the end that the traditions of the
American Navy might be upheld, and
the honor of the Flag maintained upon
the seas.
The Navy needs more hremen. 1t
needs thousands more patriots like Jack
Dempsey.