, 1864-02-19

sailors in. the MISSISSIPPI hlyer 6qundrOn Is
as follows: 1 Officers y 1'Sss ss and men 70 goo,
funds estimated for tho payment Of this force
annually is said to bo 50, ISIS, 900, Independent
OF proyieions mud clothing, an estimate Df
which was not given. The cost Of vessels
alone, Gom the commencement Of the war to
to ths present time, IS stated to amount to
TIE NAVAL RECRUITING. STATIONS.
The recruiting stations Tor the Mississippi
Squadron arc at Cincinnati, St. Louis, Cairo;
Chicago and Pittsburg, the principal Of which
is at Cincinnati, under charge of Acting Mas
ter a. s. Bowen, U. S. NJ, whose energy and
ability deserves a reward. Within the past
thirteen months Mr.. Bowen has recruited
and accepted over {, 600 effective men for the
Mississippi squadron, not one OF whom has
been rejected. 4 more efficient officer can
not be found in the navy, and he certainly
deserves promotion at the hands of tho Ad-
niral, which it is hoped he will speedily get,
and tic came may be said Of Acting Master
Hasty, of Chicago.
There is, we arc told, great scarcity OF
officers IN the ravy as well Us men, and Ger
tninly no branch of our service offers greater
and better Inducements than the Mississippi
Squadron. The very best OF quarters are to be
hnd, food Of the most excellent quality, and
enough Of it, clothing thoroughly inspected,
and of the best kind, and as there is q
ulen in their Illness are not neglected There
is no sleeping in wet tents as in the army, no
scarcity Of food or the Whcrewithal to cook
it, no neglected sick sailor left in his quarters
to die by the carelessness OF surgeon In the
army, no shoddy clothipgs, but yen have com
fort, good ray, and chance of promotion
for merit, y hich is much more rapid.
There being constant want OF volunteer
officers in the Mississippi squadron, the Ad-
1nirnl promotes meritoriou6 sailors to petty
Offices, giving them still further chance If
they do their duty, By advancing them as va
ledge Of the writer, over twenty ordinary
seainep, from Cincinnati and other parts Of
the West, have been promoted to Acting
| Masters Mutcs and Acting Masters within
the past year, and this ,cithout aAV Eo!tiical
influence. but by merit alone. There Is no
better service that our young men can engage
, In than that Of the navy.
THE MARINE CORPS.
| The United States Marine Co1ps for the
Mississippi Squadron have barracks ut
Cairo, and ut the present time number about
| l5o men, who are Nnder the command Of Cap
!, tain Matthew r. Knitting, late of the Marine
| Barracks at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He
| is assisted by Lieut. Coflnm and "a Lfeuts.
Huntington and Church, all Of whom are ef:
p; o'clock, daily attracts crowds Of people, as
| they are perfect In their evolutions and take
! great pride In their appearance: This corps
!! Is princiI ally used for Euard duty: on board
:! the Admirale ship, the uayal wharf boat, the
| guard chip and the Receivers ship. Their
j., quarters are very neat and comfortable and
! their 11tIons ofthc very best quality. THIS
! corps needs augmentiog, on account Of the
| increasing magnitude OF the squadron, and
! nearly every iron clad needs corporal and
/ SIX .or seven men for: guard duty.
i There ought not to be less than & battalion
should be commanded by Major, and good
! brick barracks are needed for the accommo-
! dation Of officers and men. There are sevc,
raj marine officers recruiting at different
| peints In the West, for the purpose Of aug
inentipg the force required for the growing
wants of the squadron, which 1t Is hoped will
/ be speedily accomplished
/ VOLUNTEER OFFICERS
: The volunteer officers Of the Mississippi
squadron arc mostly taken IRON tho lake md
! riyer service. Tho sailors Of Lake Michigan
have furnished many, while tie pilots Of tlle
Miesissippiand Olio river steamers have ad
]; ded their quota, and some few hare been mp
/! pointed from political influence. Some o
i the most me1itorious have worked their way
-. have been appointed from the naval school
at Newport, R. !. Unfortunately they arc
! dcbar1cd that promotion In the line which
! regular officers are allowed, for tho volunteer
. officer can get NO higher than Lieutenant, nc
! matter what Ills services may be. The De
/ partmeut should either establish lighe,
! grades Of volunteer officers with the SAINT
] pay and emoluments Of regular officers, Of
+! admit meritorious officers in the regular line
of promotion We understand this subteet
!, Will be brouglt before the present session O
t Congress for consideration, and should s4cl
be the case 1t will be the making Of the Mis-
| sissirpi squadron. Should such not be tht
case, thc squadron will lose some of Its bes
:, officers by resignation, yet at the same tlmt
/ it will increase the chances Of promotion fol
| the meritorious sailor who chooses to remal1
in tho seryicc. r. -. ROLF. =
Launched d few. days since. =,