National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-02-18
NAVAL MARRIAGES.
ALLIANCES WITH NAVY OFFICERS.
Professional Rtputations and Prospects Injured by
Unfortunate Wedlock- Inconvenience or
Wives and Babies at Foreign
Stations.

Many young officers professional reputation
has been ruined and his prospects killed by an
unfortunate alliance or by constant application
and wire pulling to avoid the service that belongs
to him by right, for family considerations, and
many a man whose ambition has never been
aroused by reason OF an early resignation TO do
nestle life will hear with sluggish blood the
music OF the guns or by reason OF lack Of 1T ex.
perience be rendered valueless.
Recently man. of.war was ordered unexpect-
edly 10 winter I'm nm ice bound and isolated port
where mail facilities were Of a meagro nature.
The number of married officers who suddenly be-
came III and unfit for duty was astonishing. Their
ship was turned to ridicule, and her efficiency
must have been impaired by their departure. An
officer should by law be made to remain bachelor
until such time as will insure his considering
properly the significant question" VIII this woman
do me honor p and II his reason tells him yes
then will he know that she will do honor rs
representative of his countrywomen in foreign
and perhaps rarely-visited lands.
One Gubbins, for instance, takes his wife TO
Belengarie, and the wives of the residents call TO
give her n cordial welcome. The German women,
Judging from the narrowness of her views, her
lnck Of knowledge of books and authors, and ex-
treme frivolty think she must be little wild In
dian, and examine her closely TO see II she isn't
red the French women shudder at her style of
dress, and the wife Of the English governor pro-
nounces her decidedly bad FORM Then they unite
IN tranquil species OF wonderment ms to whether
all American women are like this one, eventually
arriving at the snghcious conclusion that she Is
perhaps trte superior to the rest as she does not
wear feathers and blanket. The mortified officers
OF the ship consider themselves powerless. No
man among us all has the moral courage 10
go up TO Gubbins and say "Your WIFE by
her unbrldled tongue and singular actions,
has made herself disagreeaby conspicuous. She
Is doing lis all great deal of harm socially and
ought 10 Spul hpr hOmpI ~ GIubhfna
MS wite, ana, with happy unconsciousness of the
TACT that we are struggling 10 bring our fllterng
courage up TO point that will result in Mrs. Cub
bins Punishment, tells us that she's Il most re-
markable woman (wherein we heartily agree with
nm, him. and reireshes our dropping spirits with
the French eonsurs she sat upon Lady Car
n9nway' nnsSy' who Mo y was moving out to dinner
wife2" my wife said In America we don't have
any such nonsense; and, anyhow, the cat may sit
down with the king, If II comes to that" &c.
their wives and babies and nurses chasing round
the world after them? Is 1t dgniied and properY
Ihelr presence on station often lights the tlndcr
OF discomfort In n vessel that is to burst some day
into a furious flame and make that pandemOnium
OF The sea-9n unhappy ship. At the ball at the
woman in the room, Just arrived from the capital
mas no partner for the cotilion and am on the
point oi asking The honor, &c, note is handed
me know It's meaning, and, furious at this con-
tinued persecution, vow stern refusal l am
doubly indignant that It should be handed me lust
woman,
over whom ! have already become a drlyeing
idlot, spy the feminine character of the writing
and she draws her own conclusions as to the
cause OF my ngltntiOn ana speedy withdrawal from
the scene. rush TO the buffet, toss Off a bumper
oi champagne, and then, with a vast amount of
mental swagger, hercely tear open the note:
- DEAR APEsiANTus; The baby is dreadruily ILL.,
Frank and ARE In despair. The doctor has told us SO
many things TO do am almost crazy. DO, like the
midwatch Tonight, and he'll Be down the rst tbins
In the morning Yours anxiously.
How my resolutions vanish leave my fellow
victims to fancy. go. and the recording angel Is
Kept busy until 4:05 next morning dropping tears
upon the words he had just written down. Frank
Gray confcsses, when he comes of in time TO take
hall his afternoon watch next day q am standing
II for HIM. that the innumerabe things the doctor
adtold him to do for the baby consisted in working
small bellows, the nozzle of which wasinserted in
the babys mouth, until It's little stomach was dis
tended, then to treat II for wind onthe stomach.
Gin and water in equal parts, sweetened to the taste
with dash of Angosturn bitters, and bit Of the
every time the baby cries.
In the Italian service an officer cannot marry
unless either the lady or himself possess sufficient
fortune TO keep up the dignity Of his position.
When an officer of the French navy wishes to
marry II IL necessary to ask permission of the
Minister of Marine, and at the same time to state
that the lady possesses fortune of Mt least rs 900
francs. This official then satisfies himself that the
iS saiement + correct by communicating with the
oinl condition OF her family, and this information
has to appear in writing at the time Of the civil
In the Russian navy an officer cannot marry nm
der The rank of sub-lieutenant, nor under the age
of twenty three years. fhe marries before he IL
twenty-five he must show that he possesses a CAP
it'll 5000 roubles.
Up to the grade of captain lieutenant in the
German service an officer must have n capital of
twelve thousand thnlers before he eau marry and
must also show certificates to the responsibility
OF his fdncee, and also Of his own moral character
Happily 1t Is not an American custom to make n
business matter out of so sacred n contract as mat
rlnonyi so thnt we could not, were we so inclined
propose so indelicHte step as the regulation OF
marriage the navy by the wealth Of the contract
lng parties; nut we can, nevertheless see the evil
working OF system that allows boy to be en-
trapped In some unfortunate hour into chains that
are to be hung around his neck as long as he lives
unless a sympathetic and discriminating provi.
dence sees III to rid him of his inCumbrRuce
A lieutenant i'll the nnvy has, in his paw the
equivalent OF $4,000 in Government bonds With
so much more from his wife he can maintain an
establishment ana social status commensurate
win his position under the Government, which is
one OF high trust and confidence. We can, how
ever, readily dispense with the question of fortune
II we can secure legislation that will result in tho
establishment of regulations forbiddng officers TO
marry until they are lieuenants or thirty years OF
age.
By that time they will have seen something of
the world and be able to judge wisely of the
gravity of the step. The service will not then be
hampered by young officers whose duty II is to 20
10 son and learn their profession, but whose lofty
ambition seems 20 be to remain on shore mud
coddle their babies. Service feeling will receive
q new impetus, The young and aspiring, bound
Dy no stronger ties than born of the idle rta-
non oi an hour, viii give their fine abilities and
United Service '