Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-05
THE SAILORS COMMON LOT.
1t Is Not So Bad as the McCalla Court of
Inquiry Would Seem to Make 1t Out

Il ADMIT that the evidence IN the McCalla in
quiry would seem to show that life on board
the Enterprise was made pretty hard for the
blue jackets and / have several times lately
heard the question asked why men should en-
list in service where they are exposed 10 such
tyrannous discipline-confined to a ships mar
row quarters, always under the eye of authority
and liable for offenses apparently triflng to be
subjected to the most ignominious punish
ments," said naval officer to a STAR reporter.
IF the life a sailor leads is compared fairly
with the career open to the same man on
shore" he continued. Il am of the opium that
the blue jacket is person to be envied from
the point Of view of his own rank in the world
How do men of that rank exist on land? They
are laborers, carrying the hod or
welding the pick ak MAJ be.
dwelling in more or less squalor and
propagating, poverty. As rule their very
bread and butter is uncertain, owing to the
precariousness of employment. The sailor in
Uncle Sans service. on the other hand. is
always well fed. comfortably lodged and taken
care OF. SO long as he chooses to behave HIM
self and do his work he is sure to be kindly
treated and even INDUCED. Discipline Is of
necessity severely exercised upon a man who
misbehaves, but that is his own fault From
being always prisoner in the vessel Jack Tar
has plenty Of holidays. Whenever his services
are not needed on board he is permitted to 60
ashore and amuse himself as he chooses. and
not infrequently he has vacations of one week,
two weeks or even more A sailors pay, too,
is high"
GOOD PAY AND PROSPECTS.
slow much docs it amount to?"
twenty-five dollars a month, with food,
lodging and washing thrown in. But sailor
may rise by good conduct and efficiency from
fhs he
capacity he can get much higher pay--as high.
indeed, as 300 month. Or he may become a
warrant officer, with even greater remunera-
ton. Warrant officers, too-the boatswain
the carpenter and the sail maker are such
have very independent positions. They hold
warrants for their places, like commissions
IRON the government, and they can only be dis
charged by the President of the United States.
So you see that a man who enlists as a seaman
in the navy really has career open to him,
such as would not be afforded him on land. All
he has to do is to behave himself and do his
duty WELL"
Can any man who so desires enlist in the
navy"
Yes, If he can pass the usual physical ex-
animation. But unless ne has had experience
as sailor he will only be rated as a lands
man at much smaller pay. When he has
learned the business he will be put down as
able seaman and will receive S25 q month
Take the case of a man who entsts as a full
fedged seaman. His term is three years al
ways, at the end of which time he receives his
discharge. II he has been honorably dis
missed he can enlist again for another three
years, receiving $26 month for his services,
and 30 on,
ONE DOLLAR A MONTH BEING ADDED
at each re-enlistment after honorable dis
charge. When a man has behaved well for
three years he receives from the department at
Washington, at the instance of his commander,
a 'good-conduct medal On my last cruise 1
saw a seaman presented with his seventh good
conduct medal, representing twenty-one con-
secutive years of faithful and orderly service
The occasion was considered SO important
one that all hands on board the ship were mus
tered on deck and in the presence Of officers
and crew, the captain rendered the reward of
honor with a speech. A sailor who does his
best and behaves himself is always sure Of
gentle treatment and the easiest Of the work
His comfort is looked after most anxiously in
every particular, and he is cared for as il he
were child. large percentage OF the sea-
men in the navy are very hard characters; the
life they lead il not of sort that tends
to make men steady and sober. But the APP
prentice system Of eniisting boys and teaching
them the trade on ship board is rapidly i'm
proving the personnel of this branch OF the
service. Probably not more than half of Uncle
nj ~