The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-28

Their Rack. Dates. and socini Po.itics
Anorg Their Comrades OF the I.ine.

Their Rack, Dates, and social Po-itics
Auong Their Comrades OF the Line.
In all the jealousies OF naval STAFF and line
the latter never permits the Paymasters to for
get that. civilians as they are. they have an
advantage over line officers so far as leisure
goes. and are no worse paid than harder
worked men. When tho drum beats to quar-
tiers. and everybody shifts into sword and cap.
the Paymaster %solemnly turns from his scot Mt
the Wardroom table and contem plates his
safe. Thenavy maintains n pay corps OF ninety
six members. including a Paymaster-G General.
with the rank Of Commodore: thirteen Pay
Directors. with the rank OF CAPTAIN: as many
Fay Inspectors. with the rank OF Commander:
forty Paymnsters. OF whom twenty-seven have
the rank OF acknowledgements and thir-
teen mat OF Lieutenant: twenty Passed Assist
ant iaymasters. eight with the rank OF Lieu
tenant and twelve with that OF Lieutenant,
Junior grade. and niro Assistant Paymasters,
one with the rank Of Lieuten ant. junior grade,
the Others with that OF Ensign. Rank in the
pay corps Is relative. and the pay Is about that
OF the relative rank in the line. with longevity
pay usually Increasing by periods OF 1--WE
years. Paymasters are now often chosen from
among Naval Academy graduates for whom
there is no, room in the limo. About sixteen
years ago the Government set up the competi-
i've examination principle. in choosing Pay
II, though. Passed Assistant Taymasiers are
Still subject to examination before promotion.
the Buream Of Accounts in the oficc Of the sec.
rrrtary of he Navy. and he does not 20 to sea-
have shore duty ut some naval pay office. SO
s eS some 81 thn Iaymasters. and. OF course.
sstrv,Ifypouy mas his share OF shore duty at these
stmn.iohs, unless. MS occasionally happens. an
otlcer prefers the higher pay Of sea duty. Pay
mastcrs and Assistant. Paymasters high. on the
nnmiiier ships and subordinate posts ashore.
une pay corps stiekles f9r rank and precedence
70 Officially accorded the dignity due to the
degree Of his relative rank. The popular i'm.
than "a fighting officer. is u mistake. though a
E 20 many OF the lighting officers wish that
mas ssfG Is 'r ism SiIs. N t ,hs wa as Hnv the n Isy:
he hanpens 70 he On such terms with his ship.
masters as to Justify them in calling him by
WHO wish to be polite cEll him Paynaster, even
WI, ne is yet only an Assistant Paymuster.
pnt NOBODY calls him ny II military title.
The Payipa.ter is not IL mere accountant. and
me doSernse nt supplies to him a clerk. who Is
Expected 10 DO the real drudgery OF the pen.
eierEiy duties and may call upon tho Jack o
me re dnst when ther. is need OF n strong arm.
many thousands. and upon him devolves the
purchnse OF stores when a ship is about To
unon long cruises. The lavmnstor may also
ns called upon in a semi-ofncial capacity to
earnings. and it is no unimportant part OF the
Payrnaster's duty to exercise caution ia deal
Ing even with his brother officers. for naval
oslcers are not cxemr ut from tho common hu-
man lrhilty OF running into debt. and u Pay
master OF weak will or too much good nature
might easily DO persuaded to extend an off,
GERS credit beyond the point at which the
navy regulations draw the line.
The lavmaster's place in tho wnrdroom ia
not nm unpleasant one. save when the antago-
nlsm between line and stan Is temporarily or
locally embittered. Personal character out
welEhs the narrow considerations OF class and
rank at ordinary times. and several Paymas-
tiers are among tho most popular men In the
navy. Mike with line and stan. 1t often hap
pens that a Paymast-r's special friends are
among those across tina wardro,m table. and
a Paymnster who has seen much Of the SER
vice and OF the world is unaffectedly looked up
TO by his juniors OF tho line. The notion that
Paymasters are made OF a different material
from the rest OF the navy finds no ground for
existence in the sort Of civil society from
which Paymastcrs are drawn. The whole
navy now rests upon q broad, popular base.
usually not determined by the social Influence
OF the candidates or even by their political
connections. the laymaster is, in fact. an
everyday American citizen. lik"the Ensign or
the Com mander perhaps n little less than they
nnder the SPELL OF military srlendor. because.
touch with the world OF civilians.