Year: 1876

mo A sENsArIoN-woRK IN THE NAVY YARD
THE QUESTION OF MARINE GUARDS ON vEssE1A
OF WAR.


NORFOLK, Jan. 21, 1876.
At present Norfolk probably gayer than IL has been
since the war and the naval officers attached to ha
feet now stationed here are having very pleasant
time summing themselves in the smiles OF the pretty
women for which this locale is Justly celebrated 1t
very seldom one has the good fortune TO visit
munity so blessed with feminine beauty-not THAI
strkingly beautiful women are numerous, but plain
women are a rarity The average OF the far sex are
favored with delicate compexons lit up by brilliant
color and whether blonde or brunette they possess q
bright expression that supplies any want of regularity
OF features that the close observer mign' oe'ec@
ness is very brisk.


SMILES AND GOOD cHEHR FOR BosToNIASs.


committee OF Bosonians paid visit here early i'm
the week in order present flag TO the Norfolk Lghs
Artillery Blues and although they came protected by
their wives went away badly damaged by the light ar
tIery OF the fair ladies' They were escorted to ForS
Monroe, the Navy Yard and the feet by committee
of the Blues and some OF their lady friends and the
ater especial pains to return the attentions that
their boys had from the Boston ladies during
their the Bunker Hill Centennial The festivities
concluded with q promenade concert and hop, which
was given in one OF principal halls Of the city, and



70 dazzle the quiet Of Massachusetts,, in whose
honor it was displayed On the whole, the visit of the
Bostonians decided success, and plainly showed
that the Norfolk people had forgotten all their grev
ances and only too anxious to clasp hands With
the North and let the past be buried in silence. 1--WE
are getting along all right" said well known South
gentleman the other day, f they would only
let alone, and could choke every man
who talks about reconstruction. We have accepted





good citizens OF the United States; bat Is rather
moving continually pestered with reconstruction
Let bygones be buried give honest legislation and
the South will recover" There Is but very htto
doubt in my mind that this gentleman gave very cor
given to the Bostonans the other day plainly showed
that their hearts right, In spite Of all the nsnua
tions OF interested demagogue politicians


A PAAHroM VISION.


The latest curiosity in this place is ghost, or what
should be properly described as phantom
vision This mysterious apparon is slightly eccentric
In its habits Dsdaining seek protection IN the dark
shades OF night II appears boldly IN ine prign sun
itself in window OF house in Portsmouth. Looking at
1t from across the street in particular light It pre-
the distinct appearance of lady holding Child
which as you cross the street gradually fades out OIL
sight that close inspection the glass presents no
strange feature TO the vision Old residents of Ports
mouth insist that il has been visible for years, but IL
Is only within the past few weeks that has attracted
public attention The gentleman residing in the house
much annoyed with his ghostly guest and seriously
proposes to demoish the glass an act OF cruelty
that would probably diminish the receipts OF the ferry
company about $25 per day.


NAVAL AyPAIRs-wHAr rs GOING on YARD


There is nothing very active going on at the Navy
Yard at present but there some indications OF put
ting the monitors In readiness for sea- Inere are SIX
the Catskii Passaic Lehgh Wyandotte, Nantucket and
Monauk-and all are now In commission. The Cats
kill went into the dry dock Tuesday last and will
probably be ready for in about ten days but II will
take nearly month before the other five are In an
equally advanced condition. The worcester went out
OF commission Tuesday, and has since anchored OF
the yard and taken the place OF the receiving ship New
Hampshire which will proceed In short umc to Port



Still the Navy Yard awaiting orders, and the new
sloop Alliance appears to be in about the same condl
tion that IL was month ago. On the whole, the Navy
Yard gives the impression that appropriations
have run out and they are only employing the help
that cannot possibly be avoided. The Canandaigua IS
also lying along the dock, undergoing repairs The
Hartford, Admiral Mulaney's flagship and the Ply
mouth and Huron are all anchored in the stream, ready
for in twelve hours notice.


MOVEMENTS OFFICERS


Judging from the latest intelligence received mere
Admiral Leroy has received orders to como 10 Norok
and relieve Admiral uaney, who has been ordered TO
the Naval Asylum Philadelphia, TO relieve Commodore
Balch. Admiral Leroy Is on his way IN the Brooklyn,
which will probably arrive Key W est from Barba
dos about the 2Sd and he will then come on overland
that he is expected about the 1s of the month
1t is then understood that the flagship and vessels
will proceed Port Royal and go through naval dT
in case there is no better employment for them.


GOOD WORDS FOR THE MARINES.


The attack that has recently been made upon the
Marine Corps has excited considerable Indignation
some twenty thirty the question OF their utility
the invariabo seems TO be, 81 do not want TO





ton with naval captain Of considerable service on tho
subject and he aid:-'The Marine corps as
essential to a man-of.war as ponce force
tal in order TO preserve proper discipline
board man of-war that the police duty should
be performed by some body OF men separate and dis
tnct from the sailors Set Jack to watch Jack
would never do there is that feeling OF reemasonry
among sailors that would be impossible to place any
dependence them. 1t has been urged by some of
the enemies Of the Marine corps that the French navy
possesses similar organization, but then IL must DO
Ian rla mQD
which their vessels are manned. The crews OF their
men-ofwar enlisted almost entirely from the farm
ing element throughout the country, making good
sailors easily instructed in discipline, while our crews
composed OF all nations and In general class OF
men requiring TO be kept down with strong hand
have served in a manof-war whose crew was COM
posed OF seventeen nationates In fact In oroer 10
show the utility OF marines Il Is only short time ago
that the crew Of man-ofwar nearly mutinied and
were cutting another down with battle axes and II
required eighteen posts Of marines throughout the ship


WHAT ExpERrEScRp OFFICERS SAY


In to the request of Brigadier General Tein
Commandan OF the Marine corps nearly all the naval
officers Of high rank have written letters expressing
their views on the Marine corps and ts utility as
branch OF the navy. Admiral Mullaney says:-"I beg
70 state that the Of guard OF marines aboard
vessels OF belonging to the navy is valuable aid
In the establishment and maintenance Of discipline and
efficiency Indeed basing my opinion upon an expert
ence Of forty years active service confidently
say that the Marine corps, in connection with the
navy, 10 a necessity"


Captain A. b. Luce, feet captain, says:--'A large
portion of foreigners, having no feel
ngs OF attachment for the navy, indifferent TO the
honor Of the flag and only concerned In temporary
subsistence They obtained from the same sources
and are Of the general character as in l775 when
infant navy struggling into existence The
reasons for maintaining marine corps now are,
therefore, Of precisely the force they we're 100
years agon


Captain Thomas Scott Fillebrown, OF the Norfolk
Navy Yard says:''1n Of the military organiza-
ton Of the Marine corps and its relation TO the navy
consider they decidedly better calculated TO dis
charge the duty Of protecting the public property at
our various navy yards than any watchmen that may
be employed"


Captain W. d. Whiting recently feet captain says
III would unhesitatngly declare the abolition OF the
Marine corps TO be- 10 my opinion, very serious piow
TO the naval service II is perhaps. natural Tor those
unacquainted with the daily routine OF manor war
10 suppose thai there Is little distinction between the
sailor and the private marine serving and associatng
together intimately as the limits OF ship require,