New-York tribune., 1889-12-30
FOR THE NAVY
THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING NATIVE RE
CRUIrs FOR THE SERVICE.
nr n.c,r,c COAST UNABLE TO FILL OUT
THE COMPLEMENT OF THE NEW CRUISER
CHARLESTON VIEWS OF CON-
MASpER CHADWICK AND
CAPTAIN sCHLEY.
INV ,r,roa,pu TO IHB TkIBUNE1

CAPTAIN SCHLEY.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TkBUSE1
,,.,,..a, noc oo-The Navy Department has
...r forced 70 arrange for the transportation ioih
New York overland 10 Francisco OF aboul ioo ne
n al ont the complement of the cruiser Caries'on'
now at the Mare Island Yard being prepareu lor s'"
This fact brings up Of the most serious PucSto'
now bothering Naval administrators IL mas Oeeh
sOna ,r,nossjbIe 10 enlist in California enough men
20 man this ship. She will need about 3oo ana one
third of the number are lacking ana mus. DC ""is
,,or,ed q 600 miles from the recruting-station at
proollvn Such condition of things shows that inc
native American is slow to enlist for service III 'hc
NAVY and that the foreign element on the racine
Coast IS TOO small TO supply even the limited huhDer
Of able scamen required for 4.O0o-ton mah'o-"ar.
In New-York. which is the great recrutngplace OF
the Naval service, the floating element, native ana
torecn IL large enough to supply the wants OF the
ships while men arc taken in. in limited numbers
at the Charestown League Island and Gosport yards
Serious difficulty is experienced, however III Ee'u's
The number of men required on the Atahuo 'o"s''
but the quality of the material thus procured Is dc
cdedly poor. There are many Naval officers WHO
look upon the great proportion OF unnatuTTIzed ior
eigncrs in the service as a most serious matter.
The oueston occurs as TO whether these aliens
could be depended upon in time Of war to do iui duty
for the Government where their original allegiance
might be interiered with, or where strong sense o
patriotism would be necessary IN critical moment
II is clear that great many in the service are
as is the case with the Army, mere meroeharies vi
advcnturers of a low type,- who are making con
yenicnce of the service to better Their wre'cheo
fortunes The aliens who predOmnate IN inc serN4oc
are of Irish German and Italian birth, ana proDhOH
the most Objectionable of all are tho Italians from
their indlsposition to adapt themselves To lhe coh
ditionS of the service
Commander Chadwick. who is now In command Oh
u
representative Of the Navy in England. France ana
Germany, and with the exception of Captain Schiey'
who was for years in charge of the recruiting ser
vice, is the strongest advocate in the Navy 9l t ds
complete Amerlcanzation lie Observed crtGdS M ont NJ
years the policy OF other Governments on TINS point
has also had opportunities to study te uDect a.
officer afoa and his opinion IS unreserVcd that 'ie
service should be purged of aliens ,,,
Captain schey's proposition Is that no man ta sI9tla
be enlisted who Is not qqaled voter IN e h NM tG
states; but II is seen clearly by these oce,s iat 'c
idea not practicable under eXiStng CONDITIONS ae
II would probably be next to Impossible 10 secure tc
requisite number OF men II aliehS were pIosoIIuv, ~,
because self respecting Americans or ioielghers VINO
elsewhere. without being obliged 10 submit 10 S tlle
petty humiliatiOns which generally cOnsldefed
necessary the maintenance of naval discipline ana
the dignity of the men in command. There Is now an
American Admiral ahoat and in command OF a squad-
who not long ago was court martlaea ana pun, pun,
for certain other cruelteS and there are many olher
commissioned in the service young and Old, VINO
stlll believe IN such things-branding Whipping, ann
the like. All that Is now stopped. bnt there remain
in vogue good many ways of wOunding the pride OF
men nnneces sarly which usually result in disgusting
them and tempting them TO desert TO escape further sim
liar inctiOns For instance seaman may overstay ms
liberty ashore an hour : i'm the eniOyments OF a
turn on land after being lved with two three hun
dred Of his fellows in the scant confines OF man of
war for weeks and for this offence the privilege OF
going ashore again will probably be denied TO him
for indefinite period This. while not the rule. Is
by no means rare the service, and accounts largely
for the difficulty of securing respectable Americans 70
serve. IL is really serious business for the Navy.
and will doubtless have to be met by heroic treatment
some day.