Naval Occasions, and Some Traits of the Sailor-man Read online

  Produced by Al Haines.

  Naval Occasions

  and

  Some Traits of the Sailor-man

  BY

  "BARTIMEUS"

  "... Relating to ... the Navy, whereon, under the good Providence of God, the wealth, safety, and strength of the kingdom chiefly depend."--_Articles of War_.

  "... A safeguard unto our most gracious Sovereign Lord ... and his Dominions, and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions."--_The Book of Common Prayer_.

  FOURTEENTH IMPRESSION

  William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London 1916

  _ALL RIGHTS RESERVED_

  _TO MY MOTHER_

  *PREFACE.*

  "I reckon that's proper 'New Navy,'" said the coxswain of a duty cutterto the midshipman perched on the "dickey" seat beside him in the stern.

  It was 6 A.M.: the boat was returning from the early morning beef trip,and the midshipman in charge of her had seen fit to discuss with hiscoxswain the subject which at most hours, and particularly at this one,lay nearest to his heart--the subject of Food.

  "Proper 'New Navy,'" repeated the petty officer with contempt. Hereferred to the recent introduction of marmalade into his scale ofrations. He spoke bitterly, yet his quarrel was not with the marmalade,which, in its way, was all that marmalade should have been. His regretwas for the "dear dead days" before marmalade was thought of on theLower-deck.

  That was ten years ago, but fondness for the ancient order of things isstill a feature of this Navy of ours. There was never a ship like ourlast ship: no commission like the one before this one. Gipsies all: yetwe would fain linger a little by the ashes of our camp-fire while thecaravans move on.

  The most indifferent observer of naval affairs during the last decadewill admit that it has been one of immense transition. Changes, moremomentous even than this business of the marmalade, have followed in thewake of a great wave of progress. "Up and onward" is the accepted order,but at the bottom of the Sailor-man's conservative heart a certainreluctance still remains. The talk of smoking-room and forecastleconcerns the doings of yesterday; the ties that link us in a "commonbrotherhood" were for the most part forged in the "Old" Navy, so fastyielding place to new.

  In 'Naval Occasions' the Author has strung together a few sketches ofnaval life afloat in the past ten years. They relate to ships mainly ofthe "pre-Dreadnought" era, and officers (those of the Military branch atleast) who owe their early training to the old _Britannia_. At the sametime, for all the outward changes, the inner work-a-day life of theFleet remains unaltered. With this, and not in criticism of things oldor new, these Sketches are concerned. Pathos and humour continue to rubelbows on either side of us much as they always have, and there stillremains more to laugh about than sigh over when the day's work is done.

  DEVONPORT, 1914

  *NOTE.*

  With the exception of "A Committee of Supply," "That which Remained," "AGalley's Day," "C/o G.P.O.," "Watch there, Watch!" "A One-Gun Salute,""The Greater Love," "A Picturesque Ceremony," and "Why the Gunner wentAshore," the following Naval Sketches were published originally in 'ThePall Mall Gazette.'

  The first three exceptions appeared in 'The Illustrated Sporting andDramatic News,' 'The Magpie,' and 'The Naval and Military Record'respectively. The remainder have not before appeared in print.

  The Author's best thanks are due to the Editors of the above Journal andPeriodicals for their ready permission to reproduce these Sketches.