The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-06-03
TOO MUCH GOLD LACE.
why Our Sham Navy Costs Three or Four
Times rs Much as the British.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir: Your
trenchant leader relating to extravaganza in
tho naval service caused Indignation among
those whose selfish interests wcre exposed, but
gave pleasure to patriots everywhere. The fact
that 1t costs 1872 iS4.5 80 more for the pny of the
officers Of United States corvette than IL docs
for tho pay Of the skilled officials Of an English
iron-clad frgaie-which in an hour could put
hors de combat the concentrated American
navy-was startling. hut not more 50 than the
waste Of tho peoples money. for instance
which goes on Mt tho Naval Academy year by
ycar. This institution is supposed TO teach raw
lads the mysteries Of theoretical scnmanship
and the intricnccs of English grammar (which
tho result shows is often unsucccssful. lis
curriculum embraces no instruction which IL Of
an industrial or civil vnluc. and its graduates
are Of no use in this age of material progress.
Men from West Point conduct vast engineering
projects. survey the continent open the gates
Of commerce. and guard the frontier; in this
way some of the cost of their maintenance is
returned to the country. Not 50 the naval
grad uutc. He il meant Tor sailor; If he is not
good at that he If good Tor nutl Ing. The f2j-
600 spent on each lad who gets through An
napoiis Is 50 much money thrown away. as far
IA the good of the country il concerned and tho
high pay he gets il spent In grcut uHrt abroad.
We used to teach boys To bc sailors in the bat
tle ana the brceze' now now System has boon
discovered, and W. trv To- make Il sailor of him
on dry land AS well try 10 learn Il man practical
farming at sea.
In addition 10 the regular corps Of professors
AMI others at Annapolis costing in pay alone
sGO.uuu per aunum, a number Of naval officers
are detailed at S9O0Ou more and. to cap the
climax, t23.uuJ II spent ON salaries for cnvi-
nr"rS To tcutn clu-s Of young men how to
patch boiler without taking of their Kid
gloves. and to wear gold lace and ppHulcttrs
with dignity ia the fire room of a war snip. As
a cons 'pucn'c il has been found niece ssnry to
employ iuachnlsts each at a salary Of 5000 per
La III tn
done hy tho engineers thcmsclN,s
1t has been stated 10y the Hon. H. /. Dawes In
CongrD ss-while he VIA Chairman of the Com
mitt"r of Appropriations in the lIouse-thatt the
United states navy cost three or four tunes
nlVl', PIT Ili!u lli'ii 'u' ni .lisi nav; Hhi ~
on the navy list il6 officers with q rank cor
responding 20 general officer AMI u number Oi
CAPTAINS. commanders. lieutenant commanders.
and li"utennnt-. sufficient for the grt ut, II navy
in the world. In our navy there ~ an officer
for ever, five men in the British ono officer to
every Forty. Every vessel IN tn" United States
navy costs an average annually Of sl3S9ii. aud
in the English navy sG9.juO Evcryton IN the
annuni. and IN lie BRUSH 81 l6G 10 keep sur
navy anoat e. keep II IN repair. costs $500
standard. and tins while the very eNistcnc of
the kingdom depends on an OVcrpOwering
navy, while the republic could well defend
iiseli against the world with lew ships for mar
Dor defence. We have two commOdorrs Tor
every ship at sea- and ny.-scvenths of the pay
Of the navy goes to III" officers. This is why il
costs three or four times ~ much To- support
our navy. than It does for England Ia rule the
seas with her powerful fleets OF ironrlad-.
Wages. exp nditur"s of every KIND through
out tn whole country are IA a state of rcduc-
ton. Thousands OF strong men cannot get
work nj uny price. The necessities. the ah-o-
lat" n"c's- tics of q large portion ot the people
cry for Nunumy. The army WIS reduced. why
not the navy. only few years ago captains
ana first lleutcnanis and majors. many OF whom
had been genera OH t0rs Iu IL" volunteers and
faithful services entitled them To- tho greatest
CONSIDERATION. wrr. mustered out the service.
while the navy WAS hardly disturbed. although
II Is fact. which a reference 10 the naval re-
tr Will justify that very few Oi the limo officers,
even ol tIr CORES luline rank OF army MAJOR,
ever heard u" booming of hostile cannon,
hut were wliilr vet lads. aitcr the conclusion OF
peace, ana Nil danger WAS over promoted
rapidly Ia high rank and large pay.
LIT the grades of lieutenant commander and
cnsign, established daring the war. he abpl-
ishcd. and those on .is given the next lower
title AMI rank, for SOONER or later we must re-
turn tonnt' brlium times, and now il the proper
time. Let the simplicity and irugality OF the
sy-irm which produced "A McDonough, and
IruNipn. ami Porter. ana firrdgut. and II host
OF gallant heroes vino gave ip tn" navy r"nowu
ami glory. h" rr-tur,dand tie Annapolis = 'hOol
hr riNr'i lprcN"r The u-tentatiun and cAtruNa-
gan. ui Ia" li'- nt must give way ami the
'l"Ni ol Officers WHO D,ih show no useful
record. AMI iut~- Wiir uri unit lur the service.
h' - ut\ nut frmy mustered out aul finally
'ht down ~ proper basis the present cNcts-
siNe pay. ALPHA.