tribute to old Father Neptune, were heard such exclamations as "I wish I were home;" "Why did I come to sea?" "If I ever get ashore again I'll resign, and ship as first luff on my father's farm ;" and other like ejaculations, mingled, perhaps, with an occasional anathema at the whole business.

Dinner found but a dozen of the whole party ready to sit down : and Jack and Ben had each to succumb, as, after a minute or two on the berth-deck, they suddenly discovered that they were not hungry, and "guessed they didn't want any dinner after all." The run to Gardiner's Bay through Long Island Sound was soon accomplished, and by four o'clock the anchor was dropped once more. It is perhaps needless to say that the sails were not filled as briskly as they had been loosed in the morning, and that it took some little time for the usual tone to be regained; but when it was, how the food suffered! For a week the ship was kept here, going through the process known in nautical parlance as "shaking down," in which comprehensive term is included getting every one to know his station at the various evolutions and in teaching the new hands that there is a place for everything, and that everything must be in its place. All this involved a great deal of hard work, and it was exercise, exercise, exercise, from morning until night. The midshipmen were obliged to work at everything in which the crew engaged, save in keeping the ship clean, which their presence rendered a most difficult matter. Jack's class was subdivided into different details: one as officer of the deck (under the eye of the lieutenant of the watch), another as officer of the forecastle, another as midshipman of the quarter-deck (in which last capacity he was a messenger-boy for his classmate, who walked proudly up and down the other side of that sacred ground, and occasionally gave some trivial order in a half-ashamed tone). Others were detailed as captains of the different parts of the ship: each mast having its own particular set of people to work upon it; all these various duties were performed in rotation, so that each member of the class might have an opportunity to serve in all the different capacities mentioned.

At length the cry" All hands up anchor!" was heard, bringing to the minds of all vivid recollections of the agony of the last brief passage, and in a few minutes the old craft was standing out of the bay, bound for Hampton Roads. As she passed Montauk Light, once more the old, familiar swell called upon those whose systems could not stand the strain to square their accounts with the grim sea-god; but this time there were fewer than before to yield; and in a day or two even these had recovered their wonted serenity.

Head-winds followed, and the ten days that passed were utilized in drills and exercises, as the ship slowly made her way towards her port. The sight of Cape Henry Light was most welcome, and as they passed into the Roads with a fair wind and came to anchor off Fort Monroe,

visions of fresh provisions, milk for the coffee as well as by itself, and such other luxuries flitted through the minds of all the youngsters. Visions indeed they proved-and baseless ones,-for the exchequer did not seem to be equal to the task of providing for the wants of the hungry youths, who were forced to partake of the stock of sea-stores that had been laid in. Although the colonel was, as the fellows said, "running the grub," yet it was not a successful business, from the midshipman's point of view at least: and all longed for the good table that had been left behind at Newport.

On the following day the entire company of midshipmen went on shore in charge of the officers, to look at the fort and gain information regarding its construction. Of the bustle and stir upon the wharf, of the crowd of soldiers coming and going, of the sutlers' shops, the martial law, the numerous sentries, the extensive garrison, nothing now remains, and peaceful gatherings of excursionists from inland cities now come in the season to visit the scenes once rendered so stirring in history. It was a hot and uncomfortable day on which this visit of inspection was paid, and glad indeed was every one when it came to a conclusion. Afloat, as well as ashore, was much work being done; the fleet of menof-war lay well up towards Newport News, and in the distance could be seen what remained of the "Congress" after her contest with the "Merrimac," three months before. It was indeed historic ground, and as they looked about them, they longed for the time to come when they too might help on the good cause and be in active service.

A day or two later they sailed for Yorktown, where they all went ashore again, and, after being received by the general in command, were led a long and fatiguing tramp through a great part of the lines thrown up by McClellan when besieging the place. It was not only hot but dusty, and there was no water obtainable; and for the first time Jack found the efficacy of chewing tobacco as a provocative of the salivary glands and a quencher of thirst; the after-effects, however, were not at all pleasant, as may be imagined, and Jack, who had but just sworn on, so to speak, now swore off with great impetuosity. His appetite for the late dinner, which was found waiting upon their return to the ship, was not particularly good, and it was some days before his digestive functions resumed their normal condition.

On the following day the anchor was again weighed and sail made for Port Royal, the capes of the Chesapeake being passed with a fair breeze, which soon, however, died away, leaving the heat of the sun untempered even by a passing breath. For a week the winds proved light and baffling, and little or no progress was made to the south'ard; occasionally little light clouds would fleck the horizon and rise slowly to the zenith; but no grateful shade tempered the rays of the fierce June sun; it was hot and extremely uncomfortable, and by degrees the various articles of underclothing were laid aside, and only enough left

to answer the requirements of the morning inspection at quarters. Hot as it was, however, it was not too much so for the usual drill with the great guns, which absorbed so much energy and gave out so much perspiration as to leave them unfitted for any heavier task than checkers or a novel.

It was next to impossible to sleep below the spar-deck, and several nights Jack turned in on the soft side of a plank and slept the sleep of the just. Now, too, came trouble about the food: the coffee and tea were both poor, the salt beef and pork with soggy potatoes, relieved by an occasional bit of rice, formed the staple diet; to crown all, the water was not only warm, but not good, some tanks being filled with a semi-gelatinous ropy fluid that was disgusting to the eye and unfit for any purposes whatever; the toilet had to be performed in salt water, and altogether it was not a very happy time. A favorite variation from the established bill of fare was hard bread soaked in hot water, vulgarly known as pap, and a mixture of molasses and water, called by the euphonious title of swankey.

As the old craft slowly made her way towards port, the noon positions on her chart "looking like a target shot at by an old Queen Anne,” off Hatteras the weather became threatening and the regular four-hour watches were kept. Before this there had been no night watches, save for those detailed from the senior class, but now came the chance for the fledglings to have a taste of watch and watch. Towards midnight it began to breeze up somewhat, the dark clouds that had hung to the northwest had moved and were now scurrying overhead, invisible save for an occasional flash of lightning, which seemed as if it would sear the eyeballs with its intensity, when just as the watch was coming on deck the rain began to fall in torrents, and the work of shortening sail, which had been begun some time before, became excessively difficult; not so much from the violence of the wind as from the want of experience on the part of those who were depended on for the pulling and hauling that had to be done. Clad as they were in rubber clothes, it was almost impossible to do the work required, and as the rain continued to pour down, it found its way beneath the protecting covering, and a "dem'd, damp, moist, unpleasant" set of bodies they were, when about half-past one the watch that had been on deck since eight o'clock was permitted to go below to get a couple of hours' sleep before being called to stand the morning watch. Fortunately for the tired youngsters, that hour found the heavens clear and a lieutenant of a merciful temperament in charge of the deck, and they were not turned out, but allowed to sleep in until seven o'clock as usual.

ALLAN D. BROWN,
Commander U.S.N.

(To be continued.)

THE MONTH'S NEWS.

SUMMARY OF THE WORLD'S EVENTS FROM MAY 15 TO JUNE 15 INCLUSIVE.

Domestic Events.

On Friday, May 15, the Assembly passed the Brooklyn Bridge Extension and the Broadway Arcade Underground Railroad bills. The Brooklyn Bridge bill passed the Senate also. At the extra session Mr. Jacobs introduced a bill providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants. It was ordered to be printed. Judge Van Brunt ordered that H. M. Munsell should go to the county jail for thirty days and pay a fine of two hundred and fifty dollars for contempt of court, while juror, in going to O'Donovan Rossa's office during the Short-Phelan trial. On the 19th, Munsell was taken before the general term of the Supreme Court on a writ of habeas corpus, decision being reserved. On the 18th, Admiral Jouett, at Panama, told the Navy Department that Barranquilla is the only point on the Colombian coast where the rebels hold possession. Commodore Jonathan Young, commandant of the New London, Connecticut, Navy-Yard, died in New London on the 17th, aged fifty-eight. Mr. Charles Welford died in London on the 18th. On the 20th the Commercial Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, voted in favor of a national bankrupt law. On the same date, in Newark, after a long illness, died Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, ex-Secretary of State. His career was long and brilliant. On the 21st the President appointed D. V. O'Leary postmaster at Albany, and R. M. T. Hunter collector of customs for the district of Tappahannock, Virginia. On the 23d, W. H. Bunn was appointed marshal for the northern district of New York. Senator Sherman, of Ohio, announced himself a candidate for re-election. The Albany Legislature, on the 22d, passed a State Census bill like the one that Governor Hill lately vetoed. On the 25th the Secretary of War ordered the commanding generals of the divisions of the Pacific and the Missouri to make every exertion possible to suppress Indian outbreaks in New Mexico and Arizona. On the same date, Judge Bond, at Richmond, made a decision which ratified a recent decision of the United States Supreme Court, and nullified everything previously done by the Virginia Legislature in regard to the public debt of that State. On the 24th, Concord, Ohio, and Alton, Illinois, were visited by destructive tornadoes. Governor Hill signed two amendments to the military code, the "Life and Limb" bill, and the bill to prevent private bankers from representing themselves to be a bank. On the 21st the President's appointment of Mr. G. V. N. Lathrop as minister to Russia was unanimously approved by a resolution passed by the Michigan House of Representatives. Colonel Frank H. Pierce was appointed consul to Matanzas, Cuba. The American Bank-Note Company of this city has been awarded by the Postmaster-General the contract for furnishing postage-stamps for the next four years.

On May 27 the President appointed Edward Campbell, Jr., to be United States marshal for the southern district of Iowa, and on June 1, Isaac R. Maynard, of New York, second comptroller of the treasury. The Attorney-General decided that James M. Morgan is under no disabilities to accept office. During an interview at

Cincinnati, Speaker Carlisle spoke very warmly of the President's industry and ability. Secretary Lamar does not think that the civil service law applies to chiefs of divisions. He appointed, without a civil service examination, Robert Hunter, of Winchester, Virginia, to be chief of the division of accounts of the General Land Office. The President attended decoration-day services in New York City. Dr. Neil F. Graham, of Minnesota, assistant medical referee of the Pension Bureau, and Drs. W. H. Gobrecht and John H. Ross, of Indiana, medical examiners, in the Pension Office, were removed on account of offensive partisanship. A. F. Howard, collector of customs at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, tendered his resignation on the ground that he was a Republican, and that his "offensive partisanship could be attested by many witnesses." This is conscientiousness with a vengeance. On the 28th the President telegraphed to Senator Gibson that it would be legally and otherwise inexpedient to reopen the New Orleans Exposition. At the end of May the public debt showed a decrease of nearly three million four hundred thousand dollars. New Mexico issued an appeal stating that about one hundred persons had been massacred by the Indians, and that five thousand troops were needed to restore order and punish the aggressors. On May 31, General Crook telegraphed to General Pope from Fort Bayard, Arizona, that the outlook was bad, the Indians being difficult to suppress. On the 27th, Governor Hill vetoed the new Census bill. On the 29th the general term of the Supreme Court reversed Judge Van Brunt's decision in regard to Munsell, and ordered the latter's discharge. On June 1 the rail and iron mills in Wheeling, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and various other manufacturing centres closed, and threw about one hundred thousand men out of employment.

It becomes more and more evident that the President does not intend that efficient and conscientious chiefs of divisions shall be interfered with. During the week ending June 9 he appointed Herbert B. Beecher, a son of Henry Ward Beecher, collector of customs for Oregon and Washington Territory. The Rev. Mr. Beecher was too busy with his illogical sermons on evolution to say anything in regard to this appointment. Doubtless he regards it as an appointment of Providence. On June 2 the President appointed H. C. Urner to succeed Lot Wright as United States marshal for the southern district of Ohio, and Frederick H. Marsh to succeed A. M. Jones as marshal for the northern district of Illinois.

The Secretary of the Treasury approved of the report made by the commission which investigated the workings of the Internal Revenue Bureau. Almost every business man and banking association in South Carolina signed a protest to the Secretary of the Treasury against the continued coinage of the present silver dollar. The New Orleans Exhibition is, after all, to reopen in November. On June 3, Robert Treat Paine, grandson of the Paine, died, aged eighty, in Brookline, Massachusetts. The President refused to bestow the superintendency of one of the new public buildings in Ohio upon Mr. Bacon, of Toledo, his brother-in-law, one of the most prominent candidates for the place. This looks as though Cleveland disapproved of principles kindred to nepotism. Secretary Manning revoked all Treasury orders about the disinfection of rags. The Secretary of the Navy decided to order a court-martial to try the case of Paymaster-General J. A. Smith, chief of the Bureau of Provision and Clothing. On June 13, Governor Hill filed a document vetoing a great many items of the Supply bill. It is thought that Blaine will take the stump in Ohio for Foraker. The entire force of the Statistical Bureau of the Agricultural Department were informed they would have to go on furlough, without pay, from June 20 to July 1. On June 10 the bill to apportion the State of Pennsylvania into Congressional districts was passed in the Senate by a two-thirds vote over the governor's veto. On June 11 the Republican caucus of the New Hampshire Legislature nominated Henry W. Blair for United States Senator on the first ballot. On June 15 the preparations were made to take General Grant to Mr. Drexel's cottage on Mount McGregor, New York, whence varying intelligence concerning his health has issued daily since.