Evening journal., 1890-03-20
EoR ThE NAVY.
Looking Into fhe Methods Of One Of Uncle
SANS Recruiting Offices.

sam's Recruiting ofices.
Just what sort Of men She United States
wants for its army and how they are chosen
was a problem a reporter was sent to grapple
with yesterday afternoon.
A well fed, red faced and much waxed as TO
his mustache recruiting sergeant stood lean
ing against doorjamb Of house off the
Rowery and wnlsed at long range at a plump
Jewess, who was standing in the door Of
pawnbroker's shop across the street.
The United States flag hung listIessly over
his head, and red and white sign told passers-
by that recruits were wanted inside for the
marine service
The sergeant took farewell look at the
plump Jewess and led tire way upstairs. The
recruiting barracks consisted OF one large
bare room with a stove in the center, and an
adjoining apartment filed up with library
and several desks and tables. This was the
surgeons room. He was not ia at the time,
but his blue dresscoat hung on nail where
It could be found when he wanted to slip
into IL and examine an applicant.
1--WE have about sixty or seventy applicants
| a month"; p said the sergeant land we accept
about thirty Of them. They come to me first
| aud look them over and see that they are
not crippled on flngerless or too young. Then
| II they are apparently all right ! take them
in to the doctor and he puts 'em through
most severe examination After he Is salts
/ fed that they are between the proper ages for
/ admittance--that Is, not under 81 aud not
over s5-he tells EN- 70 undress and stand on
the weighing machine. After they are weighed
they arc stood under that measure and
their height is taken Then he turns them
over TO me, aud put them through about
| twenty different movements They must be
able 10 lneel on one knee, to touch their fin
gers behind their backs, over their head and
TO the floor without bending their knees.
'They must be able to move every finger
and evesy joint in their body. Then they
must walk on their toes and on their heels
The doctor examines their lungs teeth and
| muscles, tests their respiration and inspira
tion, their chest extension aud their muscular
development in every part Of the body.
'.Then we stand the applicant over in this
corner and make him read those letters on
the opposite corner. The highest possible
mark for eyesight is twenty, and the eye
sight is one of the most important tests.
The visitor stood in the corner designated
and the sergeant held piece Of pasteboard
before one eye. The visitor spelled out the
letters slowly but without a mistake.
"rhat's pretty good, said the soldier con
descendingy, snow try the other eye and
read them Backward
This was also performed successfully.
',They generally get mixed on the Gs and
Cs," said the sergeant. "Your mark would
be twcnty. You cannot get in X your mark
Is under seventeen, unless you are veteran.
Then thesergeant produced box OF colored
yarns, and told the visitor to try the color
test and pick out all the reds.
sYou would be surprised 10 find how many
there are who cannot tell red from green, OF
rather how many there are who confuse the
two colors. They won't mistake red for blue
or red for yellow, but green and red look ex
actly alike to them. OF course, this is q
very serious matter at sea. where red and
green are 50 often used in signaling"
II the applicant gets through ali these test.
he is handed over TO the private, who forms
with the sergeant the guard at each barracks
and who takes him on 20 the station in Brook
lyn. There he is turned over TO the drill
mnsser and uniformed from head 20 foot, ever
to his suspenders, at Uncle Sans expense.
He Is supposed 70 stay two years on land ant
three years at sea, but this exact time is sci
dom adhered to; it often happens that hi
first term Of Ave years service is spent entire
! | Is on land save for a month or two at sea, 0
\ vice versa His pay Tor the first term 9
i've years, which Is the shortest time 10
! which he can enlist is Si3 month for tn
! first year, si7 for the second, SIS, $40 and 81
/ for the remaining three.
! Besides this, all enlisted men, except mus
clans OF the band, serving on the first perio
! OF FIVE years are entitled 10 81 per month 70
4 the third year, 81 for the fourth year and
for the fifth year.
! Their rations are supplied them and thei
: only expenses are twenty cents month Z
!, ward the hospital fees and Sl.25 a month 70
J, washing New York Evening Sun.