| Transcript |
* --. s. s. " D~- rO"*
"- Volume III
THE PAY OFFICE
Receiving, disbursing and accounting
for government money k\ eeps
four of our good shipmates busy
every day. Ship~ oard account$ lcy
differs in almost every respect from
commercial acounting. The government
has spent years perfecting the
present system of bookkeeping and
and accountancy.
Keeping the accounts of the officers
and crew of a vessel is quite a task.
DU1' inv; the past quarter ( 1 Oct. to 31
Dec.) 966 accounts were handled on
this vessel alone. The ship's complement
during this period was 659, but
changes in pay accounts were necessary
with 113 men being rated, 35
men discharged and transferred to
FNR. Of this last number 16 reenlisted,
$ 106. extra compensation
was given making the total cash disbursement
for the quarter $ 124,938.64.
This amount was disbursed under
3800 different payments.
During the quarter we received
243 new men aboard and transferred
262. In small stores approximately
500 issues were made amounting to
$ 2846.43. Allotments, always a big
item in the service, keeps the entire
section on their toes, with the total
value of the allotments on this vessel
$ 28,475.83 divided among 474 different
allotments. During the quarter
94 new allotments were registered, 27
were stopped and 61 expired.
In addition to handling the pay accounts
paying public vouchers, that
is, paying civilian ~ ontractors for
supplies bouv; ht from them and used
on board, this task requires two men's
CatilUl.......... 4
Mare Island, Calif. Febuary 1, 1936
U. S. s. SMITH TO BE LAUNCHED
FEBRUARY 20
At 10: 30 Thursday, 20 February,
the U. S. S. SMITH will be launched
from the ways at the Mare Island
Navy Yard. The SMITH is one of the
sixteen 15,00 ton destroyers built under
the allotment for naval construction
out of NRA funds.
The ship is named in memory of
Lieut. Joseph Bryant Smith, U. S. N.
Smith commanded the U. S. S. Congress
when that ship was sunk by the
Confederate Ram, Merrimac, at
Hampton Roads, Virginia, March 8,
1862.
Mrs. Yancy S. Wiliams has been
appointed official sponsor for the
ship.
From the earliest days of sea borne
craft, launching ceremonies have been
performed to initiate the ship to the
sea. There is a record of christening
ceremonies of the date 21( 10 B. C.
At different places and at different
times these ceremonies have taken
various forms and had various signifances.
In Tahiti is was once the custom
to shed human blood at launching
ceremoies. The Chinese for centuries
have had very elaborate ceremony.
Wine was used in rituals of the
early days. Later, the Romans used
water as a token of purification in the
solemn priestly blessing. Christian
ceremonies, as in pagan ceremonies,
used wine as the sacrement and water
as the token of purification.
Launching ceremonies have always
had a religious significance. In the
Middle Ages, ships were always named
after saints; shrines were placed
e- ti 4
Number V
SHIP'S. DANCE A SUCCESS
Enjoyable Affair
The Ship's Dance, our second since
arrival in the yard, was, in the opinion
of all who attended, a very enjoyable
affair.
Even though the weather man failed
us again, a gay and colorful crowd
of over 400 were in attendance.
The ochestra, one of the best ever
procured for a HOUSTON Dance,
were at their best, rendering a fine
assortment of the latest dance hits,
keeping dance lovers' programs well
filled. Once again the popularity of
the punch was 100 percent, while the
regular bar received a good patronage
from these who preferreli beer as a
refreshment.
The Dance Committee's successful
effort toward this pieasing affair is
genuinely appreciated by all. Once
again the good ship HOUSTON and
her snappy crew may feel proud in
having staged an affair that will long
be remembered as an enjoyable occasion,
not only for themselves, but
their many friends as well.
COMMITTEE
Lt. Comdr. Arnold, Lt.( jg) Schanze,
Ch. Mach. Gallager, LaTour, CFC,
Herrick, CWT, O'Brien, BMlc, Yelverton,
Yeo1c, Vizard, Phmlc. Crego,
EM2c., Sivak, SK3c, Freeman, GM3c,
Smith, Cox, McMurphy, SM3c. Kennedy,
Sealc, and Schrumm, Sealc.
Wade, Bmkr2c, and Osborne, Ye03c.
were the volunteer patrol. |
