The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-02

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| $500 year. and one ration day. The Presi-
dent is authorized to appoint from at large
/ limited number of cadets to both West Point in
| the army. and Annapolis in the navy. | believe
| the number of cadetships ne may keep filed Is
| ten. he generally chooses the sons of army
and navy officers who have especial residence,
and who cannot claim the influence of congress
| men or senators to help them in the regular
way. This puts quite large per cent. of army
| and navy lineage in the service. After awhile
| there will be men in the army and navy, who
can run back their blood in the service moro
than few generations
| THE NAVAL SERVICE
| The army is considered in society circles de-
gree lower than the navy. This is probably be
cause the latter class permitted to mingle IN
society more than the former. The pay, in gen.
eral. and the opportunities of an army officer or
a private in the army. are quite equal to those OF
men in the navy. In entering either service the
| applicant is guided simply by taste. He chooses
between life on the and in the large cities,
or life in forts the frontier.
The navy is composed of little less than one
third the aggregate of men in the army. They
are stationed at the navy-yards at Mare Island,
| California; Brooklyn, New York; Washington,
d. c.; Portsmouth, New Hampshire, etc., and
| at sea on the vessels which serviceable.
| We have in the navy about thirty vessels capa-
BILE of sea service, and long list that are lying
| around yards awaiting repairs. There are sew
eral squadrons altogether. composed of the nu-
merous vessels located on the Asiatic, and one
| two other coasts, each looking after American
| interests in foreign countries. and keeping sea-
| men and officers in practice These squadrons
are commanded generally by officers of the rank
| of commodore.
Naval officers seamen and marines and officers
In the marine corps receive about the same pay
as the men in the army. The highest officer in
&c a1p 1ira1 II &c maids "A
year; rear admiral So 900 at sea, or $4,000 on
shore, and commodores So, 900 at sea. or $4, 900
on shore. The lower officers salaries do not
| differ from those in the army of relative rank
| Cadets to the Naval Academy at Annapolis.
| Md, chosen in the way the cadets
| for West Point Their service in the academy
| is of the same length as those in West Point,
| and their salaries and allowances do not differ.
| Upon graduation from the Naval Academy the
cadet is generally assigned TO some ship for
service, and has a term of about two years OF
that He is known a cadet. and receives $500
year and one ration day, and perquisites,
which amount to very little The first promo
ton naval cadet receives is to the rank of en-
| sign. An ensign receives 81, 200 year while at
| sea, and 81, coo year on shore. After five years
| of service from date of his commission ensign
his salary increases to $4,000 His next pro-
motion is to the rank of lieutenant. junior grade,
and his salary is ST., 800 year at 81, 500 on
shore. with an increase of 5000 year after
ing five years in that rank. His next
!
tenant and his salary is $2,4oo at
sea $4,000 shore Hhen comes
a promotion to the rank of lieutenantcommo-
dodore, at salary of So 500 at or So. 400 on
shore cadet is generally, ID time of peace.
promoted to be ensign after about five years
He does not, then, receive a promotion In all
probability under ten years, and he may not be
promoted for fifteen or eighteen years. Lieuten-
ant Danenhower, of arctic fame, told me during
| the jeanette investigation that young man
graduating at Annapolis at the age, say, of
| twenty-five years was in very excellent fortune
If he made a lieutenant, junior grade. which
pays 81 800 or 81, 800 year. at the age of thirty
five, and that if he arose to a lieutenancy worth
s. 400 or So 900 year. by the time he was forty,
he was being very fairly treated. Most of the
officers arriving at the age of sixty-two when
| they retired, he thought, would be of the
rank of entenantcommander There are many
men in the army and navy who have held the
rank of lieutenant more than twenty years, and
| will be retired at that rank. This showing is not
a very encouraging one in financial view.
| The army and navy afford easy places and a
life position, but they give very little opportunity
| to achieve either fame fortune. While few
| old officers in the service become we-todo by
| the time they retired. the exceptions are
| very rare and their money is always made
through outside speculation or attained by in
| heritance. While army and navy officers live
| we'll they may be said to be proverbla.ly poor.
financially. 1t has been truthfully said that few
| men acquire a competence on salaries drawn
from the government This is especially true of
soldiers and sailors.
The highest officer at present in the navy is
Admiral David D. Porter. and the only vice
admiral is Steven C.. Rowan. The first named is
on special duty in this city, and the second is
chairman of the Lily house Board.
| The naval observatory photographic Office,
lighthouse service. coast and geodetc surveys,
and several other branches of public service are
| under the general supervision of the Navy De-
| partmeDt. The marine corps is also within the
influence of the Navy Department. The marine
| corps is almost independent service, and Is Or
| ganized and maintained to supervise the
American commerce at sea- that is, 1t Is kind
of police service, and protects our commerce on
| the water. 1t is quite extensive. and has a
| colonel commanding with staff officers and a
full corps of assistants. They are distributed
about the larger ports of entry and have vessels
| known as revenue marine cutters to go about in
The pay of the colonel commanding the marine
corps is So 500 year, and the lesser officers in
proportion with the army and navy
In the navy there are number of training
ships, where boys are received and trained for
naval service The pupils who enter the training
ship service are boys who have not the educa-
ton required to pass the examination to go into
the Naval Academy at Annapolis Boys are re-
| ceived on training ships who sound, intelli-
gent and between the ages of fourteen and
seventeen years. who are not able to read and
write, although they preferred with that
much education. Applicants for this service are
referred to the proper enlisting officer by the
Secretary of the Navy. Each boy upon present
ing himself for enlistment must be accompanied
by his father, by his mother in case the
father be deceased, or by his legally appointed
guardian in event he has father mother
living. their signatures being required the
shipping articles An examination is made of
the applicant but 1t relates more to physical
soundness and mental brightness than to edu-
cation No one who has been convicted of
crime will be enlisted All boys enlisted as
third class apprentices. and paid SO per
month and one ration daily. Their first promo
IL @I,a
pay of $40, 81 and $l2 per month. 1t is not
possible in the ordinary of events for the
boy entering the service training ship to
become q high officer in the navy In case of a
war. however, he stands better chance of an
pointment to position giving him rank than
, men from private ife