The morning call., 1893-08-13
THE ENSIGN.
He Has Youth but His Road to Pro-
motion Is a Long One.

lie has YOUTH DuC Ills KOdu u fTO.
motion Is Long One.
New York Sun.
When young man first gets his commission
as line officer in active service he becomes an
ensign. Laudsmen call 1t ensign with long
OPP in the second syllable, but everybody afioat
pronounces the word ''ensin" with short 81"
There is seldom any occasion for pronouncing
it at all, as the ensign Is addressed as PLAIN
"mister." Fastaff's "Ancient Pistol" was a
military ensign. and the business Of that officer
In those days was TO display the colors. The
name now Is mer ely designation for the low
est rank of commissioned Officers, the relative
rank held by engineers. surgeons and paymaS-
tiers on entering The service.
An ensign OF The line Is graduate OF the
Naval Academy and he ordinarily obtains his
commissions after four years study ashore
ensigns, some with very new commissions, 4
few who have been as much as Ten wears of
that rank. They thus range In age from 81
years 10 about 81 and 80 Old naval Off
mite are sometimes disposed to treat the en-
signs as boys, and it IS not many years since
ensigns % or 30 years OF age found themselves
under sort of discipline which required them
To be aboard ship by O'Clock at night and in
other ways watched over their moral welfare.
The ensign Is ordinarily watch officer. He
never commands even the smallest ship, I'M
less every body above him is dead or disabled,
a rare contingency in Time OF peace. Some
times he belongs to the wardroom mess and
som times he mesSeS In the Storage along
with the naval cadets, the paymasier's clerk
and the like. This arrangement Is not so
much for the sake of emphasizing distinctions
OF rank as to enable the ensign. whose sea pay
is only from $1,000 10 S140o. according 10
length OF service. 10 live more cheaply than 1t
is possible TO live In the wardroom.
Big ships have four or five ensigns and little
ships usually two. Their duties are those OF
other watch officers, and when an ensign is
temporarily officer of the deck he is treated
corded to the man OF higher rank IN like posi-
tiOn. The younger rear admlrals usually
have ensigns for secretaries, but a junior lieu
tenant performs that office for the ranking
ear-admiral.
The ensign OF % or % Is more like a lands
man of like age that the lieutenant OF 80 Is like
landsman Of his own years. Six years OF
naval training usually does not transform the
inland bred youth into an officer with all the
rrejudces and acquired instincts of his caste
The ensign of 80 has pretty nearly hardened
into lieutenant. 1t IS interesting and I'm.
structive to note the difference OF development
between these two extremes OF the ensign list
Every ensign Is man OF good physique, fair
technical education excellent mental training
and some social accomplishments. The Younger
men retain peculiarities OF speech and manner
such as one would expect to find in young men
gathered from all parts OF vast continent,
from homes rich and poor, rural and urban, re-
fined and crude.
One occasionally encounters In the ensign the
marks Of a coarse and uDdisciplned nature
SnOODlSD1S nllnUIul OF the SOCIAL privileges be-
longing to his profession and OF the rank that
may one day be his distinction. One more
often finds the ensign graceful modest, we'll
hammered young man, periodically proud OF
his profession and conscious that The obliga.
ton of courtesy and manlineSs rests uron one
who carries beneath his simple jacket the gilt
terIng bullion Of the admiral. Inc list of en-
signs, when you see 1t set down upon paper,
has characteristically American look. In ln-
Guides many English names. some ScOcD,
Irish, German. French, and few Hebrew
names. You detect here and there a name
already distinguished IN the navy. since naval
officers like their sons o follow In their fathers
footsteps, aud tue President sometimes ap-
points at large the son Of captain or an ad
mira
Enthusiasm is characteristic commonly
found in The ensign. and rare In higher ranks
OF the navy. The ensign Is still mindful OF his
triumphs at the Naval Academy, and he has
seen The advantage of precedence gained by
standing high In his class. Promotion Is never
more than len years ahead OF him. and here Is
| always possibility that the Compromised re-
organization of the navy may snorten LOT MN
that deadening twenty years OF siagnatl0n I'D
the grades OF lieutenant. he has sedon
hard ned into cyuicism. and If ne be single
man his account with the paymaster Is not
necessarily subj ct to be contemplated win
regret. The ensign IS Il favOrlte OF the ladies'
for he has the inextlngulshable charm OF youln.
the grace OF straight limbs In the most beaull.
fully simple OF uniforms. and the promise OF
future