Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-18
TEE n,DDY,s UNHAPPY LOT.
The o,her Side of the Question.
20 the Editor Of THE Evrs1se sr.p.

20 the Editor Of THE EVENING stan:
In your issue Of the 18th of October read of
the groans and tribulations of a mldshipman.
HIS argument seems to be that because the gov
eminent has given him an education at It's ex-
pense therefore it must rapidly promote him in
rank and pay. People who pay taxes have an
other song to sing, and have become tired OF
this everlasting churning out of young men, at
the rate of 60-100 per year, into the navy, when
there Is absolutely nothing for them to do ex-
cept draw their pay. My young friend says
that at the age of tbirty-eight having devoted
the best years Of my life, without pay, without
any incentive to ambition or desire to attain
efficiency. since efficiency is not rewarded In any
way, without even being entitled to salute
from q newly enlisted landsman." So far as
can see his ambition is simply to get few more
OF the almighty dollars and to have landsmen
and sailors old in service doff their hats in lOwly
Obeisance and in recognition of his superior
knowledge in nautical matters III he repre-
SCENTS the ambition OF his classmates Congress has
done wisely. As to the clause without pay >"
this Is false. Our young friend Is evidently I'M
der the impression the government is under a
serious obligation to him. | will show him
the obligation is on his part. BY look
Ing at the register we see that he was
paid while studying at the naval academy
al the rate of $500 per year; also a ration allow
ence of 80 cents per diem making total ex-
Penditure on the part of the government on his
account for four years 81, 43S-an amount more
than would be necessary TO educate him at any
or our best universities. Moreover, it Is often
the case that a midshipman will fail once or
twice in his examinations If his failure is but
little, he will be allowed to go on if it is great,
he Is allowed to go over the same course OF
study another year, thus making him the ex-
pensive luxury of S3,O47 OF So 657 according as
he takes five or six years to get through. Now.
In looking over our friends class of 1876, find
six members who entered i'm 1874 and seventeen
who entered in 1878. showing the first failed
twice. the second failed once. If these gentle
men had passed theip examination, as they
ought to have done. in four years. or the gov
ernment had dropped them. as it ought to have
done, 1t would have saved over twenty-five
thousand dollars.
We see by THE STAR every evening numbers
Of officers detached and placed on waiting Or
ders because there is no place to put them; the
shore stations are crowded so that the work Of
one is split up so that it can be given to three
or four and enable them to draw fall pay. So
you see, young man, although you may be q
Perry. Decatur, CT Paul Jones I'm embryo
still the country is not under an obligation to
you, by large majority. Our adOlescent salt
refers to the higher position of the engineer and
medical corps; well, that is simply question Of
political economy, and of every day experience
the best articles cost the most money and are
valued higher. In the yearly examinations at
the naval academy for entrance. the eXamina-
IONS iOr canuluaIes lOr the engineer corps IS
differently conducted from that of the cand-
dates for midshipmen, the number of applicants
being about the same. The mdshipmen eand-
dates are examined in June; there
Is a certain standard, any one
who reaches it enters the academy;
If the candidate fails. he gets another examina-
tien in few days if again he fails he has the
same double chance in September. The cand-
dates for the engineer corps are all examined in
September, the examination is more difficult
and is competitive, only the first 25 or 80 being
admitted, so that although the fiftieth mans
examination may have been satisfactory enough
to make him midshipman, yet he Is not an
engineer by a good deal. For example, the
fourth class midshpmen in 1876 numbered 123
the engineers fourth class. %. The same is
true of the medical corps; examinations are
only held to ill vacancies. and the candidates
have educated themselves, not the government
Midshipman wishes to know if it is fair to
impose this weight of reduction on young men?
Why. certainly; the country has given you
good, liberal and expensive education, now go
and make use of the talents you have received
and don't bury them in the United States navy
rs you consider you are doing. Go west, there
you will have full sweep for your Unsuitable am
Ditlon. VINCENNES.