Gilpin observer., 1918-05-02
SAILORS AND
THEIR CLOTHES

Shifting seas and changing climes
have made the sailor-man familiar
with every aspect Of the combat with
weather. Trained to face nature in
the open, he is ready for her vagar-
les, whether they be of the inland
like peacefulness or the storm tossed
waves of an ocean in all its fury. He
knows how to dress to meet every
condition, and the navy not only has
him sufficiently clad, but has the
clothes in his sea.hag and ready for
use when he needs them.
The "gob" likes the cut of his
clothes and he has roll and jaunti-
ness about him at all times that pro-
claims his calling. Fashions come
and go and orders may change the
habiliments of the soldier, but not
so with the man of the sea. His are
eternally blue. the pattern. never VAR
les and tradition still holds her own
in their making. Years ago in the
days of wooden sailing ships when
seamen had to climb masts and dan
gle from the stretched-out ends of
yardarn to do their rudest reefing,
convenience and customs made nee
essary the bell-shaped lower ends of
of construction of ships has never
wrought change.
The sailor, too, clings to his black
handkerchief, draped around his low
necked blouse tied across his breast.
Latter days have made obsolete the
white lanyard that went about his
neck, but the silken 'kerchief still re-
mains. Tradition tells that this hand
kerclief, thus wcrn, originated with
the British tar, for the blacks once
worn in this fashion by men of the
English navy as a mark of mourning
for Lord Nelson have never been re-
moved.
And the sailor has to give good
deal of attention to this part of his
costume. The handkerchief is square
and four times the usual size. Early
mornings or just before the call for
shore leaves is sounded there is
heard on shipboard a Tapping that
sounds like waves striking the sides
of the ship. This happens when
Jack is getting the wrinkles out Of
his neckerchief. The handkerchief is
stretched out, and a man taking a
good hold on either side, it is given
an up-and-down shaking until it is
smooth and glossy. He then folds
it in three cornered way and put
ting it about his neck, ties the ends
in knot that only a real sailorman
knows.
The sailor is just a trifle fussy
them. No one has exactly under
stood the balance a seaman can get
with one of the circular pancake
caps he perches at almost any angle
on his head. This cap is ornament
ed with the band bearing the name
of his ship or station or simply the
gilded inscription "U. S. NAVY"
and he is always buying new one,
for the jack who is alleged to have
a sweetheart in every port must have
a band for every one of them as a
souvenir and sentimental reminder
for the girl he leaves behind him.
The sailor also has a knitted cap
for winter wear, one that can be
pulled down over his ears to cover
nearly all his Accommodating he
needs for deck work, for the contin
uous watch from the ships rail for
the sneaking submarine or to shield
him from the wind as he scans the
them all it is his little white hat that
he loves the most
| With the same skill and equal non
chalance he can perch this on his
head at any angle, always with the
appearance of just about to tumble
off, but never falling. This hat he
can wash and from the top there Ii
a little string he calls stop" that
he can hang 1t out on wash day.
| When boy losses off his home
clothes fer the last time he is giver
a complete outfit by the navy. Ev
cry bit of 1t is regulation" He mus
know just how to fold and store
away each bit accordingly to set and
immovable rules and each piece
must have his name marked on n
with indelible ink. 1t must Away.
be scrupulously clean and neat. Som,
of the ships have laundry and Il
not he must wash It himself. There
II are also ship's tailors. but he must