JACK TAR AFLOAT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8208, 4 August 1915, Page 8

JACK TAR AFLOAT.

HOW HE AMUSES HIMSELF. " All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," but our naval Jacks are by no means dull boys, for, even in times of war, they have hours of leisure and know how to spend them nicely. Of course, when the warship b in port tho shore caters liberally for the bluejackets' diversion, but for long periods at a stretch a vessel may be on the high seas, and it is then the real need for ship-manufactured diversions ■ arises. ■

Music, naturally, takes a prominent place in the amusement programme. In tho " fo'castle" there is tolerably suro to be a "squeeze box" or two, the lower dock term for a harmonium, and for every score or so men who are prepared to raise the roof with a chorus of the sea there is one who can at least vamp, and that is enough to set the ball a-rolling. To hoar some time-scarred " shell-back," in response to much nudging, render that fine old ditty "Tom Bowling" in a 1 voice like a deranged foghorn is to realise how closely a- serious song may border on the humor ous. . „.■•.■■..■

But a good throaty chorus and plenty, of it is the main thing, and absence of vocal ability is condoned so long as the pseudo vocalist doesn't forget that :the company is there to do their little bit us well as himself. Even a Caruso on the Jower deck would fall flat if he adhered to a strictly elassic^re'pertoire. As a matter of fact, there are one or two "star" artist<<s on board every big warship— it'would be surprising if a personnel Qumbering 800 or more did not produce some musical talent. At least one warship (though probably quite a few) possess a mandoline band, which began by pleasing itself so well that it soon pleased everybody else, including the critical quarter-deck . aristocracy, who frequently of an evening would summons the mandoliriists to repair aft. - ■ :

Glee parties are quite an. institution on board a few of the ships, but they have a knack of disbanding on small provocation. Ono of our Dreadnoughts, until lately, possessed a; particularly tuneful minstrel troupe, .whose fame spread so far that when the ship came into harbour after a short cruise the members would- step ashore to find their names already billed as the leading attraction in some chanty concert or church bazaar. On the back of this might come an invitation, which was virtually a command, from the commander to sing for the benefit of some lady friends.

The crisis came one day, when the loading tenor, 'having fallen in love, tendered Hi 3 ' resignation, and the lattor part of his example was followed by a " pal," who bluntly declared there wasn't much fun singing "when you 'vid to howl to order like , some bloomin' ponny-in-the-slot machine." That did it ! The glee party, rocked on its foundations, and finally collapsed, earning the "in •'memoriam '■' penned on black-edged paper by a lower-deck wag in the following terms: " In loving memory of our glee party,as died from too much success and too little pay."

Some time ago it became common knowledge among, the lower-deck 'denizens of a certain cruiser that their highly popular captain was to be: married as soon as the ship reached port, and it was resolved to make him a handsome present. To further this object a grand concert :aud dramatic entertainment was got up, and .'programmes and admission tickets, at varying prices, "was set. up in high style on a small hand press borrowed from the paymaster's!' department. The concert proved a distinct'hit, but the .dramatic performance was a colossal triumph, though, to be sure, it was never finished. Half-way through the piece the villain and the hero met for the. first time. " Hare you the Henri ? M asked the la-tter fiercely. *' Hi ham. the Hearl." There was a second's tense silence, then the convulsed ship's commander broke ; down, and the shilling seats fairly rocked; and^ to complete the denouement, the yillain trod on the" improvised electric cable and blunged the boards into darkness. The captain got his wedding present, and a certain Jack Tar has been known as the "Earl" to. this day.

People who are apt to picture the bluejacket's life, when far from port, , asdreadfully monotonous . might re'7ceive a shock were they suddenly trans- /: ported >to the deck-of a warship on the i ; ocean. There is hardly i a ship's cap- * tain or . compmander ia'H.M. Navy V '.wlio-';dpes; not:jnerely • tolesrate^ bn^^en- ' courage, alt -kind's " of'Kealthfui' sporty from promiscuous leap-frog to the _sublime heights of an organised hockey of '"cricket 'match, in the latter affair . probably gracing the affair with his presence. Silent and severe in his isolation -as a l'warship captain ever is, when his vessel is in port, when there is nothing but Wireless telegraphy connecting him with the shore, he may unbend into a sort of genial head of the family. -■• ■ • -■••■•

Just shortly beforo the war a some--1 what unique diversion took place on board, a battleship, now, alas!-under many fathoms of water, a wrestling match, to wit, the arena being a speci-ally-prepared part of the quarter-deck, with the commander himself assuming the duties of judge, while the " gallery " included practically every notability' m the ship. The principals, two brawny tars, had only intended a quiet trial of strength, in which the loser was to sacrifice next day's grog, but, the news leaking aft, the affair blossomed out, jfcfll the two stalwarts found themselves matched for the ship's championship, with a silver cup thrown 1« y a flighted wardroom moss. The affair was voted a, great .success, even by certain of the junior officers who had suffered in pocket by backing one wrong man.