NAVAL STAMINA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 32, 1 August 1911, Page 8

NAVAL STAMINA

The United States naval authorities are ;iving particular attention to the physical: training of their seamen. And to this end suggestions have been entertained in the direction of equipping the vessels with gymnastic apparatus. An expert, writing on the subject, combat* the popular idea that "the days ol sailing-ships bred giants." And one of tlie principal reasons advanced in refutation is the poorness and scarcity ol the old-time sea-rations. Thus it is contended that the physical standard of the average ship-of-war's crew to-day, in both British and American navies, is very much better than it was daring the era of canvas—even with the "cigarette habit" thrown in as a serious and permanent handicap. Wo. feel rather inclined to join issue on this statement. It does not appear at all reasonable that the life led by the modem bluejacket on his floating fortress of steel should render him the physical superior. of his predecessors. Granted that he is infinitely better fed, and better cared for in every way, it is nevertheless more than doubt,ful whether he is the equal in stamina of his long-vanished prototype. The latter was always in the, finest form. He had to be; tho very nature of his work made it necessary that he should be always "fit." Take a warship's company of to-day, and ask them to race up a vessel's rigging for a hundred feet or so, and there would be "bellows to mend" before the main-crosstrees were negotiated. As for the diet, it may have been scant, enough, and poor enough, in the old days of the frigate and three-decker. But, bad as it. was, the British seaman apparently throve wonderfully well upon it, and worked like a nigger upon it, also fought upon it with a zest and energy which still remains to be rivalled by the product of the modern lower-deck. And in spite of the comparatively luxurious food now served out on the ships of the navy; in spite of the physical drill and other exercises which are enforced on their crews, it is, nevertheless, most unlikely that were it possible to set them man for man against the seamen of Nelson's day in any trial requiring endurance and bodily strength generally, the moderns would have to take a back seat. Physical training machines may be stuck up against every bulkhead in the ship, testing devices and other gymnasium details be installed throughout. But even then, Lfiven a crew of athletes, they would never be capable of the sustained efforts of labn' ious toil that so often fell to the lot of "the sailor of the sail," nurtured on the flintiest of "hard tack" and tlie wltest of pork and beef j exercised by ince»Bnn' work aloft in all weathers; his muse] ' s tough as steel with pulling and haulir*. The days of sailing ships did, Indeed "breed giants," not only as regards the navy but as regards the merchar f service. The very nature of the J sea-life then demanded that its follow- / era should be men of exceptional stamina. There was no room for weaklings; and the survivors of the rude schooling were a very fine lot, such a lot, indeed, as are rarely or never to be found in the steamships of the present time.