The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-09-01
THE CHINESE NAVY

Navy than it is to enlist in the
Chinese Navy. .
The Chinese Navy is manned
mainly by natives of Fuklen
Province. This province is on
the rugged southern coast and
is peopled largely by seafaring
persons who Skillfully navigate
their clumsy appearing junks
through all kinds of weather.
The ships of the Navy are
small, and range from slow, an
Gent vessels to swift new ones.
China has her own little build
ing program and is continually
launching some type OF naval
vessel. Her navy is maintained
for the purpose of suppressing
pirates and smugglers; and
quelling disorders among her
own people. All the ships are
coal burners, and it is quite
a common sight to see several
deck hands busily engaged in
placing leggingS on the main
mast on getting underway.
These ''leggings" are a canvas
! cover, laced onto the mainmast
to protect the patchwork from
flying burning cinderS and SCOT.
The uniform of the enlisted
men is of a lightweight denim,
and of various shades of blue;
all according to the number OF
times washed. 1t is built along
the accepted sailor" style of
clothes. The trousers are in
variablv too short, and usually
reach about three inches above
the ankle. The flat hats are
always at least four sizes too
small for the wearer. The SAIL
ors are very clean of person
and exceedingly polite: I have
never seen a Chinese sailor ere
ating a disturbance unless ar
guing over the price of an
enameled wash basin. Incident
ally each sailor has rs own in
dividual wash basin. The sailors
are very curious. and will stop
and gaze at something for an
hour at a time. I believe there
is only one other race of peO-
pie more curiOus-you're right
i am thinking of Americans.
These Chinese sailors are Civ
en- liberty only during DAYLIGHT
hours. and have to be aboard
by shutdown. Then the gang
ways are hoisted in. This is to
prevent the ship from being sto-
len.
! Very little paint is used on
the ships. mainly because they
cannot get very much of it to
use. Sand and canvas is spared.
however. From daylight to dark
the ship gets a continual scrub
bling. Despite the pungent Cd
ors of native wood oils used in
lieu of varnishes, these Chinese
men-Or-War are the cleaneSt
in the world.
The principal items of food
on board ship are greens, SIM
| liar to our spinach; many dish
es of w~atercress, beet tops and
other green's which rather ex-
plodes the popular belief that
rice is the one big item. Of
course, rice is there, too, as
well as fish. To see a Chinese
sailor bound for his ship after
a liberty you would be led to
believe that each had to buy
his own food. They spend all
their money on foodstuffs-and
American tennis shoes! No sea-
gulls hover over the stern, how
ever, as they do the American
men-o'-war. There is nothing
left for them at mealtimes, and
the gulls know it.
The average monthly pay OF
a Chinese sailor is about $4.0C
American money; not paid in
American money, of course, but
its equivalent in Chinese. This
is about twice the amount that
a japanese sailor gets. o.
course, this salary depends or
the prosperity of the prov
ince in which the ship is sta.
toned. The local Generals pay
for protection by sea, and the
more they pay the more pro,
lection the ship can give them
Although the navy is under thu
Marking government, the "Ad.
miralS" are more or less or
their own, and move theil
ships at will.
Several naval academies exis
in China, all manned by Eng
fish officers; yet the majorit,
of the Chinese officers in tn
navy are trained in Japan. Sew
eral high ranking Chinese of,
ficers are graduates of the lead
ing universities.
These Chinese ships lool
clean and appear to be very eff
ficient. I believe, however, tina
| in the event of trouble-the,
. sigh with relief at the approach
of a vessel flying the stars ant
Do11hla Harol