The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-25
AMsRICix MEy FOR THE NAVE.
Advantage. OF Opening the Path TO Cornrni
.ious to IL. E,iIs:ed Force.

AMERICIN NEW FOR THE N<VR.
Advantage. OF Opening the Path TO Commits
-ious to a.. Enlisted Force.
wAsHrSdToN. Feb 24--when the Ashuelot.
about eleven years ago. struck on hammock
Rock and went to the bottom OF the China Sea.
her muster roll. on being made public. showed
that out OF IL enlisted men. exclusive OF ma
rines there were only IL native born Amerl-
cans the rest representing twenty different
nationalities. An officer OF the navy. Passed
Assistant Engineer +. VI. Bennett. who was
then serving on tho Asiaiic station in the
Monocacy q sister ship OF the Ashuelot, was
led bv curiosity to investigate the nationality
OF his own vessels crow aud found that out OF
105 men. excluding officers and marines. there
were 20 Americans ~ Chinese, II Germans.
II Swedes. - Irish. English. o Danes. I
Scots. 3 Norwegians 3 Canadians. and tho re-
mainder divided among nine other countries
The Chinese were mostly cooks, stewards, and
servants for the three messes Of officers. and.
when on the spar deck. at quarters. they wero
Entrusted with the function Of repellinR board
ers in practice: they used to rush about,
armed with pixies. yelling Hi-ya," with their
queues and light blue garments flowing In the
breeze. The foreigners, according to Mr.. Ben
nett in the current number Of the United Ser
rice. hold some OF the most important ratings
IN mo bHip' tHe was tHe mHsteF-at-
arms. the Welshman the chief boatswain's
mate. the Greek the captain OF the foretop. the
Martinique negro the apothecary. and so on.
Those two vessels were not. however. fair
examples OF our crews. as they had been kept
on that distant station for many years and
were obliged to resort to foreign enlist m ents
to maintain their COMPLIMENTS A crew prob
ably showing q fair average was that which
Engineer Bennett found on the Enterprise
n 90
officers and marines. 10 were native born
Americans. II Irish. 10 Japanese. chiefly cooks
and servants Of officers. @ each Germans and
Swedes. 3 each Danes and Nova Scotians. 4
Norwegans. French. and Of various other
nationalities
Bennett that something should lie done to
Americanize more fully the enlisted personnel
n the Z: svh ns OF ans
career IN the nSy equal to that open In sr ,S
dirscton has been that Of raising the pay , o.
smother pa. been large lnsTesss e. ihs mum;
been suggested that these latter should have
rant and even commissiored otflcers. still,
tine position Of warrant officer. though honor
American lad may hope to achieve elsewhere.
while the seaman class Is now limited to the
possibility Of $50 per month and the rare
chance OF becoming a warranted boatswain or
gunner. But further most i'm porta MT fact is
runners Is only seyepty.two or less tbas o ons
In 100 Of the enlisted men, while only seven
teen OF the gunners and nine Of the boatswains
have been appointed during the last ten wears.
and only hve OF the gunners and two OF the
boatswains from the ranks. Hence the pres
and so far as that ind MT is concerned IL is
not surprising to learn that ninety out ofeyery
What strikes Engineer Bennett as specially
remarkable Is that 1t Is only in the navy OF
such limitations. In the British navy. lie
says, all warrant officers are obtained by pro-
miTay p rsagI U p Sa that c hief
and other gunners. boatswalns. aud carpen-
tiers Of exemplary conduct who may distn-
ing In the service shall be considered eligible to
hold com missions In her Maiesty's beet In such
deem them. aftsf undergoing an exam n alton.
worthy to receive and com petent to MI" lie
ing as to the German system Of education:
ssamfn Of -, the GsIS.n may WI" ds.Ts to SSnty
may Il they have shown special illness he recon.
mshasd Tor ITono'ioS BY the Com%.Dda&S Of the sea
required TO send in tae papers presented by applicants
from comm AndinI ON ,or merchant Captain with
msnts snd espsriiy and s,StsInsnt that ihey have
ssry.S sss.: m@Rhs a, sea IN ,cr or
be held before the candidate Ia iwsnty years OF axe
OF cadets After The eSGminaIon the carer Of sea.
s @sa d X. Ss ~ ns the
In the French navy the line officers are
nc schools but ir"H rL The warrant Ulcers and
been promoted from the petty officer class.
and among them ar' some who nave been
ors. Without going into the details as TO sX-
aminations. 1t may b. stated that there Is a
What m axes our naval system more remark |
able is that IN the army there is ALWAYS an op- |
GERS but for private soldiers 10 obtain a com |
mission as Second Lieutenant. and several OF |
vaneed each year When once they wear the |
shoulder siraps they are eligible TO the high |
s sis Ersas u the SaTa he S: 6.
he can with the mere grace plead for the ex- |
promote thereby the Increase in the proper |
tion OF American lads in the service lie points |
pTeyaiied and that men trained ioT tie sea In
merchant vessels gave tn ouruayy such names |
Nicholson. IsaAc Hull. Edward Profile. William |
BAinhrijge, Thomas TruNtOn. and Charles |
much N aligned must ngs.' as they are called
to this day" or the volunteer element proved |
oronositions Tor A greater Amerieanizaiion Of |
the enlisted force are as follows:
J. The possibility OF enlisted men becoming commits |
An ineTs,.. IN the number % warrant orassrs and
3 Increased fs,poasibiIty and dignity OF po.ttion
A istTed hst. ar ctvl employment on shore, for l
enlisted men after long aud faithful ser,l'e
"a More attention gwen to TIE r1mfoTi ~ enlisted
The dgalgn OF sups aud IN the administrative
Dc ais ~ life ON board thvm
These IDEAS are NOT new even the first OF |
them having frequently heen urged bY bureau |
officers ant others. yet. as has been seen they |
are supported by Mr.. Bennett ia an Interest |
ing way. 1t should further DO noted that |
many Of the enlisted men who are not native |
born are as truly American In sentiment and |
A. trustworthy as any ssamen ia the navy. |
This Is true even Of some who are III not nat |
uTsltzed. although they have been for years |
and years In the service. aud have thus proved /
their allegiance 10 H. still the general argu- |
msnt for making the enlisted force 81 the navy |
more attractive TO American youth Is I'M |
questionable.