The New York herald., 1870-08-20
OUR BLUE JACKETS
How and Where They Are
Enlisted.
The Way jack Is Clothed, Fed,
Paid and Cared For.
The Marine Corps---Their Du-
ties and Life.
Sketch Of the Marine Hospital.--Its
Situation and Extent.
Facts and Figures for Congressman and
the Public.

Since the beginning Of our career as nation the
naval arm Of our defense has, In times Of peace az
well as in wara, dded ustre 10 history and glory
to our nag From the days when under colonial
fags our forefathers waged war with the French
upon the ocean down to the present time, In all
nIcsiagainst The most colossal naval Powers of the
globe, We have always entrusted the dignity and
honor OF our country TO the brave blue Jackets and
never In our entire naval history has confidence
been betrayed or weakened Our officers have
always been brave, gallant experienced and tho
roughly reliable. and our sailors have been
worthy assistants and supporters In every enter
PRISE undertaken against an enemy on our own
shores in distant seas. In battle or In peri0us
explorations Of foreign seas unknown lands Jack
has displayed bravery f0rtitude under the most
trying circumstances, skill and an esprit de corps
that nothing could weaken or destroy. The Amerl-
can sailor ranks with the best in the world He has
all the qualities Of the famous tars that gave England
her prestige ana power upon the sea before
steam was introduced to change the character
OF naval warfare. His life to the ordinary
iandsman is mystery, tinged with q
bright glow Of romance, which his manner
Of1act life hardly justl1es. Few who, have not
served IN one capacity another in the naval SER
vive really know where Jack comes from, how his
and how he is taken care Of by his generous Uncle
Sam. An article giving detailed information on all
these points would rapidly swell to the volume Of
book and require more space than we can AFFORD TO
devote to the subject. In what we have to say OF
our blue jackets to-day we shall con1ne ourselves to
the salient points Of his life, which are all that our
readers will require.
OUR STRENGTH AFLoAr.
The number of seamen now allowed by Congress
10 man our ships OF war, which are to watch over
and care Tor our interests in foreign lands Is only
$500. The vessels In our navy now number 1884,
cruisers, iron-clads tugs, line-of.batte ships and
torpedo crafts Out OF this force the government
Keeps at sea only thirty nine vessels. with the
greatest difficulty, In consequence OF the lack OF
men. force Of so, 900 seamen would be required
TO man all our efncient cruisers in times OF need.
fortunately. just we are free from serious CON-
pications with foreign nations and can get on re-
specially with the little force we can keep at sea
notwithstanding the shabby appropriations OF
snort-sighted Congress.
HOW SAILORS ARE ENLISTED.
Our sailors are enlisted as seamen, ordinary sea-
men, landsmen and boys, and there Is an additional
class which does duty as nremen, coaheavers,
b0ilermakng and machinists-the latter practically
acting as assistant engineers, although enlisted men,
Just now recruiting is rather lively, and good class
OF men are entering the service. These are gene
rally brought to the recruiting rendezvous by out:
siders, boarding house keepers and the like, who
manage to obtain the ready cash advanced to Jack
when he passess muster and emission account OF
board, or frequently because the applicant ignorant
N the matter, agrees to pay the outsider q
certain sum II he can put him in the
navy. Of course men desirous Of enlisting
In the navy can 60 directly to the naval rendezvous
receiving ship and enlist without the assistance
Of middle man, who always seizes upon the ad-
vance money and pockets 1t for his own use. Most
sailors into the service with the aid OF the mid
die man, and pay expensivey for his assistance.
This Will always be 80 until Jack changes his conid-
Ing nature, at which time we SHALL doubtless not
require his services.
In order to enlist Jack must first 90 to recruit
ing oce, make known his Intentions to the recruit
ing Of1cer, and designate the rate under which he
wishes to enst--either as seaman, ordinary sea-
man, landsman or boy or as fireman. &c. He Is then
placed In the hands OF boatswain, who examines
ant points OF his knowledge of seainanshfp and If
satisfactory he il accepted for whatever rate he
pres TO-. Then surgical examination takes place.
and If the applicant undergoes this and proves that
he sound and In good health, physically capable or
enduring the fatigue and performing the duties OF
dergo second examination by the senior surgeon.
who must confirm the report OF the junior before the
applicant is finally passed. He then receives
1ns %snt ''y his mG% previous ana ho Dig any, enlist %
&c, which is entered upon the books OF the paymas-
ter Of the receiving ship, and upon his transfer to
another must be embodied in paper called de-
scrtptive list, which contains his name rate time
when shipped years shipped for amount of advance,
when born, aye, color or halr eyes; his height,
ast ~ Wat 81 shin i ence We
shipped, and account or the marks upon his per-
son, &c. BY this description he is ever aiterward
he IL entered upon the ships books he Is paid three
months wages In advance, which ne partially ex-
penis In purchasing his outfit, furnished by the
government, through the paymaSter, at cost price.
THE OUTFIT
Tor every enlisted man In the navy consists of the
allowing articles, which he purchases and receipts
Tor 10 The paymasIer:-One peajacket two pairs
blue satinet trowsers. TWO flannel overshirts two
wOollen undershirts, two pairs woOlen drawers one
pair shoes, Two pairs wooen socks one mattress
one pair blankets one seamless cap, one black sik
handkerchief, one eipiug tobacco, one bar soap, one
jackknife, one scrubbng brush one shoebrusn one
bOxblacking one comb, one pot pan and spoon: tame
needles and cotton thread In summer the cost of AM
outfit from fOrey three TO forty five dollars In
the winter It runs from 1fty live TO sixty dollars n
the sailor mas outfit already he need not purchase
q new one, and his advance is paid In cash. What.
ever is purchased IL deducted from hs advance and
charged to his account on the books. When q sea.
man draws an ou6tshs cash advance. IL generally
about thirty-fve dollars, and about twenty dollars
TO andsman. This money Is generally taken by
boarding house keepers and middle men and rarely
rests long In the pocket or an improvident Jack
Upon being entered on ships books the enlisted
man is given number, which he retains as long as
he remains In the ship, and his clothes, mattress,
hammock, &c, are marked with this number
THE PAY OF ENLISTED MEN
varies according to the rating. First class seamen
receive twenty dollars per month; ordinary scameD
sixteen dollars, and landsmen ten dollars. Bows
first. seond and third class, receive ten, nine and
eight dollars per month. respectively. Rated men
receive as machinists who must be competent 10
lake charge OF the engines Of ship. fifty eight dol.
lars per month. Boiler makers. forty dollars. The
yeoman OF first Class ship gets lorty-1ye dollars:
the paymasters yeOman, who has Immediate
charge of the ships stores such as cloth
ing. provisions, &C., and who sees them
Issued 10 the men, receives In q first class ship
$3.50 year, which ID the highest pay given
To any petty officer IN the service. The captains OF
the tops are paid twenty-five dollars ana the carpen
ief's mate tlirty dollars month; the master-at-
arms or tho chief of the police OF the ship, forty
dollars a month on vessels OF The first class ana
thirty yhve dollars or thirty dollars vessels Of the
second and lowest classes. The fine old chief boat.
swain's mate, which shakes the ship from keel TO
truck by hs believing and who pipes his silver whis
tie right merry, is rewarded at the rate OF thirty
dollar month for all his noisy lahors. The nei1v