A BKITISH SEAMAN ON THE BRITISH NAVY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2423, 21 January 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

A BKITISH SEAMAN ON THE BRITISH NAVY.

» AN INTERVIEW WITH A GUNNERY INSTRUCTOR I procured an introduction to Mr Gough, of H.M.S. President, and requested an interview with the object of obtaining the views of a foremast hand on matters connected with the service to which he belongs. Mr Gough very readily acceded to my requ"st; accordingly six o'clock in the evening found me knocking at the doer of 48 L>ee Street, near the East, India Docks. Mr Gough is a typical sailor in cut, a trille below the medium in height, thick-set in figure, with a bronzed weather-beaten, but prepossessing face, " bearded like a pard." His manner is seamanlike. his speech direct and to the point. He entered Her Majesty's service in 1563, and will in a few months retire on a pension. "Well, Mr Gough," I asked, " what do you think of the service, taking it all round V The reply was emphatic. "If I had a boy to send into the world to-moirow I should try and get him into the navy, where I know he would be cared for better than ever a mother could care for him ; he will be well looked after, and never have a care for himself as long as he lives, if he only sticks to the Queen. He will be kept always clean and healthy; he must be clean ; he can't help it. From the day he goes on board he will ,be drawing pay, not like going to a trade on shore. Tho first throe or four years a bny is at n trade ho makes no money, but does nothing but curry friols about the shop and learn badness in the streets. In the Navy he is learning his duty and underdrawing, his pay; every day eouuts to what, is coming to him at the end (the pension). The only way to make a man of a youngster is to send him to a naval training ship, where he'll bo educated and well clothed. You eau't keop too tight a hand ou a boy. Tho stricter you aro with him tho better man he will turn out. I was four years instructor on board the Lion training ship, and know something about it." " What do you think of the character of most ineii.o'-war's men ?" " There is a much better class of men in tho Navy now than when I went to sea, I have hoard a cry about too much being made of good conduct and good looks ; but that, is not the ease. The men can be trusted with more liberty nowadays, aud they aro all tho better for it when they come on board. We get as much knocking ab-.nit at sea uoir as over wo did in all weathers, unless a man happens to get in a flagship, mid then most of tho timo is spent in port, but that is no catch, for the drill is as hard agaic, and tho discipline more strict." la the discip!iuo very strict I- , " " Not more than can be helped. None of the punishments nowadays are more than a man that respects himself has a right to expeet.without ho gets himself sent to prison. A man cannot complain becausehegcta ouo day's pay stopped for every six hours ho breaks leave." " Aru the ratious good •■" "Ah ! now, there's a thing that wants seeing into. We havo to turn out at four o'clock on a cold, dark morning and work about among water, washing decks, until seven o'clock, with nothing on our stomachs. All we get far breakfast is a pint of cocoa and dry biscuit. From seven until twelve we got nothing. Dinner at twelve ; one pound of beef and a biscuit. The beef is so hard aud salt that wo cannot cat it, and so leave a third of it back and to-ko it out, in pay. The same with the pork on poa soup days; the soup is «o badly cooked we would not eat it unless we were forced. Some days wo get Fhnny Adams (tinned meat), but planty of tho ineu won't touch it, and there is no nourishment in it for any man. We fret a pint of tea in the evening , , and what is left out of the biscuit we had served ont in the morning. The tea boils for three hours beforo we get it "Do you get nothing to eat but what you mention ':" ", No, we bny vegetables, and some messes spend nioro money than others on provisions, but that is not the thing. It was very well when they used te feed the men ou grog, but teetotallers want stronger feeding." "Is tho pay sullicient, in your opinion 5" "An A.B. gets Is 7d a day in the Navy, in tho merchant servico ho gets 2s ; but when you come to put a man-o'- war's man's pay alongside his pension it tells up. We diaw iust as much pay as we can do any erood with. I've kuown a man have £100 in tho ship's bank in a commission."—l'all Mall Gazette.