Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-06-16

lapse to civil life unless they have in
1uencc enough to obtain places in the pay
corps or marine corps. y few very lucky
fellows of high standing are picked out of
the highest class and sent abroad to be
educated rs naval constructors. AS yet
this country has no regular school Of naval
construction.
Tho young men soon to take their places
in line and staff rs regular commissioned
officers have recently been serving on the
great ships of the navy. The Philadelphia,
the Charleston, the baltimore, the New
York, the San Francisco, the Newark and
tho Detroit, the most powerful ships now
on the activc list OF the navy, each had
from four to seven of these young men,
sleeping In hammOckS, sharing little
mess in the stCoragc and learning tho real
business of navigation and naval warfare.
These youngsters while at sea for their
two years cruise received $3.50 II year and
arc probably better of financially than at
any subsequent period OF their career, for
1t is an understood thing that decent
economy becomes tho naval cadet, and it
is hard matter to spend money at sea.
The first commission of the young line
officer is that of ensign. The first appoint
mcnt of tho men from the engineer divi-
sion is as assistant engineer. with the rcla-
tive rank of ensign. Each is addressed as
plain Mr." The ensign of the line re-
ccivcs for the first five years from the tlato
of his commission 81, 200 n year ut sea, ST.,
900 Il year ashore and $500 year ON wait
ing orders. Tho assistant engineer re
ccivcs 81, 700 ut sea for the first five years,
81, 400 ashore and $1,000 on waiting or
dCrS The man who finds no vacancy for
him in either of these divisions may DC APP
pointed assistant paymaStcr with the rcla-
tive rank of ensign, the tito of Mr." va
ricd by ''paymastcr, and Familiarity
pay" and the same stipend as the young
assistant engineer.
Our young officers now como to their
commissions on the average at the ago OF
about % years. They arc for tho most part
we'll grown, shapcly, active, high minded
young fellows, full of esprit dc corps, gonu-
incly but quietly enthusiastic for the flag
and the service, accomplished dancers,
good sworlsmcn and clever scholars within
the limits of their training. Every ship
has from ono to four cnsignS and from
one to 10 assistant engineers. They usual
ly belong to the StCCraCC mess, but tho pro
motion from cadet to ensign means much
to the young officer. 1t marks the change
from boy to man, from pupil to individual
mastcrhood. The juniors ON some of the
small ships mess in the warGrCum, but
pCCuniary considerations mako thCm pre-
lCr tiltif OWN lftt'>~ III ltlt sewerage. ne
warlrOum mess, wine included may easily
cost man $50 per month, while the steer
age mess may average considerably less.
There comes, however, TO every Junior in
the stCcragC an occasional invitation to
dine with tho wardroom mess and perhaps
the rare distinction OF dinner with tho
captain in his lonely grandeur OF the cabin.
The timc has long gone by when the
Junior, whether ensign or cadet, was the
victim OF cruel horse play or rude practical
jokes. Life aboard ship Is a serious matter,
and the junior has his record TO mako. II
he be an ensign Of the line, he stands
watch in turn, and when he is alone on
tho quarter deck he for the timc being rep
rescntS the captain. Then whoever comes
over the sides or up the companionway,
whether he be cabin boy or executive OIL
Ger with so years service behind him and
the near prospect OF command rank, salutes
the slender youth as the embodiment Of
authority.
The cnsigns usually share watch duty
with tho licutcnants, and matters arc so
arranged that every officer has from two
TO three days weekly free Of watch duty.
The deck must never for an instant, day