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Photo # NH 106196:  Panoramic photograph of 'King Neptune' and his party during Equator crossing ceremonies on board USS Connecticut, January 1908

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- The 1900s

World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Shipboard Activities -- Equator Crossing Festivities

On 6 January 1908, while southbound off the Brazilian coast, each of the fleet's battleships celebrated the crossing of the Equator with time-honored nautical ceremonies. A witness described the activities on board USS Maine:

"Monday, Jan. 6, 1908. ... Between midnight and 1:00 A.M. crossed the Equator and are now in the Southern hemisphere. Last night Father Neptune's Secretary came aboard the ship to announce that we would soon be in the realms presided over by Neptune and that the latter would pay an official visit on the morrow to initiate all the inexperienced. The Secretary was in costume with a big bunch of white whiskers, weather-beaten face and scroll and quill. He came through the ship announcing the intended visit to the crew and then he called on the officers with the same announcement and a further one that he was thirsty. Something cold was given him to alleviate this thirst and a couple of hours later he left the ship in a very happy frame of mind." **
"About 8:00 A.M. Father Neptune followed by his retinue appeared on the forecastle. The party was made up of all who had previously crossed the line and was as follows: Neptune -- Brady, C.Q(?).M; Amphitrite -- Taylor, Sea; Doctor -- Herman, Q(?).M. 2d cl.; Barber -- Lapart, C.M.A.A.; Secretary -- Barnett, C.B.M.; Bears -- Kruger C.G.M., Farlin, G.M.1 cl., Keegan, Cox; Police -- Hilliard, C.Q(?).M., Medd, E.1st cl, Brown, B.M.2d cl., Helmar, Sea."
"The Neptune party then passed to the tune of drums, etc. and followed by the awe and admiration of the crew. They went down on the quarter deck where they were welcomed by the Captain and 1st Lieut. After receiving permission from the former to proceed with the initiation they went down into the wardroom to receive a little something cold before the work of the day." **
"The party then proceeded forward to the forecastle where the ceremonies were held. On the top of the fwd turret was rigged a chair with a drop seat. At the foot of the chair was a wooden slide leading down into a trough of water waist deep. This trough was formed of canvas. The candidate for initiation took his seat in the chair. A lather composed of oil, albany(?) grease, tar and kerosene was applied to his face, head, neck, shoulders and breast. He was then asked his name, and as he opened his mouth to reply a dough-ball containing some dirty and sickening ingredient was shoved into his mouth by the doctor. Then he was held and shaved by the barber with a wooden razor. When this was finished the seat was dropped and the woeful candidate slid down in the water. Here as he tried to get rid of the doughball he was ducked and ducked again by the bears. As soon as a fresh candidate splashed into the pool he was allowed to go and with his certificate he was now a real sea-going sailor."
"The entire crew was rounded up and put through the initiation. Some tried to escape it by stowing themselves away but these the police found and were given a little extra dose for the trouble they had caused to the party royale. Also the unpopular in the crew were given special marks of appreciation. It took about eight hours to complete the initiation of the entire crew of over eight hundred. The officers were allowed to buy themselves out of it by paying seven bottles of beer apiece. As there were only a few officers aboard who had ever crossed the line before, the Neptune Party had plenty to drink. Neptune himself availed himself too much of the opportunity & was soon hors de combat, resigned his crown to one of the royal party. ..." **
...Quoted from the scrapbook and diary of Midshipman Harold M. Bemis. (Lot NHF-037 in the Naval Historical Foundation's Collection, held by the Photographic Section of the Naval Historical Center). Paragraph breaks have been added and some minor punctuation changes made. ** Note that Navy ships had gone "dry" for Enlisted Men more than four decades previously, while Officers could still have alcohol on board until the mid-1910s.

The "Great White Fleet" crossed the Equator three more times in 1908: northbound near the Galapagos Islands in early March, southbound while crossing the Pacific Ocean in late July and northbound while steaming from Australia to the Philippines in late September. Initiation ceremonies were held during the July crossing on board USS Wisconsin and USS Nebraska, which had not participated in the voyage around South America. They were presumably also held on board the other ships at the same time, since many new men had joined their crews while the fleet visited the U.S. West Coast.

This page features views related to Equator crossing ceremonies during the "Great White Fleet" World cruise.
Note:
Images seen on this page concern, or probably concern, the ceremonies held as the Fleet crossed the Equator on 6 January 1908, while it was southbound off Brazil.

For other views of "Great White Fleet" Equator crossing activities, see:

  • -- Shipboard Activities -- Equator Crossing Festivities (Part II).

    For pictures of other types of "Great White Fleet" shipboard activities, see:

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet" -- Shipboard Activities.

    For further pictorial coverage of the "Great White Fleet":

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Overview and Special Image Selection.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 106196

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    Panoramic photograph of "King Neptune" and members of his party, during Equator crossing ceremonies while the "Great White Fleet" was on the first leg of its World cruise, January 1908.
    Note the sign held by the "Royal Dentist", in the right center.

    Donation of Mrs. Ruth Mayfield, 1973.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 107KB; 1200 x 355 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106195

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    "King Neptune" and members of his party, during Equator crossing ceremonies while the "Great White Fleet" was on its World cruise, probably in January 1908.
    The original image is printed on post card ("PMO") stock.

    Donation of Mrs. Ruth Mayfield, 1973.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 495 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 55341

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    "Crossing the Line" ceremonies on board the ship, as she crosses the Equator during the first leg of the "Great White Fleet"'s cruise from the Atlantic to the Pacific, early January 1908.
    Atlantic Fleet commander Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans and other officers watch the festivities from the ship's superstructure as a "Polywog" (foreground) is prepared for a dunking.

    Collection of Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, Jr., 1928.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 119KB; 540 x 595 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 55342

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    "Crossing the Line" ceremonies on board the ship, as she crosses the Equator during the first leg of the "Great White Fleet"'s cruise from the Atlantic to the Pacific, early January 1908.
    After being shaved by the Royal Barber, a "Polywog" (foreground) is tipped into the dunking tank to be manhandled by the Mermaid.
    In the background, Atlantic Fleet commander Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans and other officers watch the festivities from the ship's superstructure.

    Collection of Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, Jr., 1928.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 145KB; 540 x 590 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41668

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    After receiving the attention of the "Royal Barber" and other members of King Neptune's Court, a "Polywog" is tipped into the dunking tank for further "processing" as part of Equator crossing festivities during the cruise around the World, early January 1908.
    Atlantic Fleet commander Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans and other officers watch from the ship's superstructure, in the left background.

    Collection of Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, 1928.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 92KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106197

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    Ducking a "polywog" during Equator crossing ceremonies while the "Great White Fleet" was on the first leg of its World cruise, 6 January 1908.
    The original image is printed on post card ("PMO") stock.

    Donation of Mrs. Ruth Mayfield, 1973.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 505 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41647

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    "Polywogs" receive the attentions of "shellbacks" in the dunking tank, as part of Equator crossing ceremonies during the first leg of the cruise around the World, early January 1908.
    In the left center, the "Royal Barber" prepares to shave another "polywog", prior to dumping him into the tank.
    Photographed the ship's bridge.

    Collection of Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, 1928.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 94KB; 740 x 430 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106198

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    The dunking tank, used for initiating "polywogs" during Equator crossing ceremonies while the "Great White Fleet" was on the first leg of its World cruise, 6 January 1908.
    The original image is printed on post card ("PMO") stock.

    Donation of Mrs. Ruth Mayfield, 1973.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 500 pixels</ TD>

     
    Photo #: NH 69571

    "Shellback" Certificate


    Illustration and headline of a certificate issued to Harry Howard after he crossed the Equator in USS Kansas (Battleship # 21) in January 1908, during the first leg of the "Great White Fleet" World cruise.
    Howard provided the following text with this image: "On the eve of January 4, 1908 another importent event occurred which all sailors do not see often. A sort of stillness seemed to have fallen over the sea - not a breath of air was stirring, and the same phosphorescence waters seemed to radiate the heat stored during the day from the sun's rays. Weird it seemed as streaks of light here and there burst from the surface of the water as a porpoise or dolphin darted across the bow of the ship. So quiet and dark as we sped along through the night towards the Equator, as we expected to cross it before morning. Shortly afterwards I received from Neptune Rex, a message which read 'You, Harry Howard, being a landlubber serving on board the USS Kansas and daring to enter our Equatorial Region without due ceremony - you are ordered to appear in person before His Majestic Court of Neptune Rex on January the 5th to explain your conduct and to accept most heartily the penalties of the awful torture that will be inflicted upon you.
    (Signed) Neptune Rex, Ruler of the Raging Main.'"

    Courtesy of Harry Howard, 1969.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 188KB; 1200 x 615 pixels
    ===================================== NOTE:
    The actual date of these festivities was 6 January, not 5 January as indicated above in Howard's narrative.

     


    For other views of "Great White Fleet" Equator crossing activities, see:

  • -- Shipboard Activities -- Equator Crossing Festivities (Part II).

    For pictures of other types of "Great White Fleet" shipboard activities, see:

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet" -- Shipboard Activities.

    For further pictorial coverage of the "Great White Fleet":

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Overview and Special Image Selection.


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 14 September 2008
    Coding updated 13 April 2009