Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-07-05
SEA SERVICE AND SHORE DUTY.
Considerations that Guide the Preferences
 of Naval Officers.

Considerations that Guide the Preferences
 of Naval Officers
 One of the oldest features of that iit- tie known annual. the United States navy register, is the record of each of heers time of sea service. shore duty, and idleness. It seems at first thought that it must be the business of naval officer to go to sea, but as a matter of fact naval officers pass from one- quarter to two-thirds of their time ashore.
 The admirals are usually credited with from sixteen to twenty-five years :, of sea service, from fifteen and half to twenty=four years of shore duty, and from two to ten years of idleness. The proportions in the case of com modores are much the same, and the time of captains at sea and ashore is pretty evenly divided on the average with wide variations in cases, and from one to eleven years of idleness.
 The lieutenants of both grades have had from six to seventeen years al sea and from three to eleven ashore, with short periods Of idleness. The ensigns, 1 who are the lowest commissioned of- ticers of the line, have seen from two to eleven years sea service and from one to eleven years shore duty, with periods of idleness varying from q few months to year and a half The highest staff officers in the medical pay and engineer corps have nearly all passed many years more ashore than at sea. Much the same is true of the chaps lains, and there is perhaps something of irony in the fact that the naval con7 structors are usually credited with no sea service, except in the case of the younger men.
 It is the scheme of the navy depart ment to send each officer three years to sea and then to give him a tour of shore duty The scheme is not strict, ly carried out, and there is no hard and fast rule upon the subject. Pay is from two hundred dollars to ono thou sand dollars year more at sea than ashore and this advantage de- termines many officers to seek sea service, and especially to shun5 waiting orders. To put man on wait ing orders for long period is one form of light punishment for minor mis, deeds. 1t means loss in pay of from four hundred dollars to two thousand dollars yenr 1t is the theory of the navy that an officer with i family needs more money at sea than ashore, because in the former case he must make special provision for his family, whereas in the latter his wife and ehil- dren can share quarters with him. There is good deal that is deceptive about the record of sea service, for the reason that much of it is only eonstruc- tive sea service. So long as a ship is in commission, unless, indeed, she be 8 mere receiving hulk, the officers aboard are eonstruetiyaly doing.sea service and a ship may undergo weeks of repairs with her pennant still flying and half her warCraom ashore every day. That Is an agreeable form of sea service, especially if the work of repairs be done at New York or some agreeable l foreign port
 All sorts of motives mysterious to landsmen. decide an officer in his pref. erence for this or that shore duty. Some men esehew the New York navy yard until they have attained sufficient rank to make them feel at ease and free from the fear of imposition. Some seek places at Newport, because such ap- pointments may bring them into gay and fashionable society. Others seek te escape from such dnty for the very same reason. Some of the billets at ! Newport carry with them plenty Of house room and charming grounds, matters to be considered if q man wishes to take his place in the society of the city The Norfolk navy yard is popular bes a cause an officer may there enjoy at small expense kindly and agreeable society. There is a pleasant little naval l station at New London, and there are charming quarters for an officer of rank at the several naval hospitals. Duty at League Island, Pa. is pretty dull, but it is good place to wear out old clothes. The great navy yards are source of sorrow to those ; officers who lack the tact and humor to deal with the politicians that dominate : such places Washington is popular 5 with naval officers. as is shown by the number of retired officers who make it their home Perhaps New York would be equally so if rents were lower.
 There are few places that all naval ) officers regard with something like hor- TOT The task of caring for the moni- tors in the James river near Richmond is courted by nobody, and Pensacola in summer time is not an object of envy. | There was stranded up the Rio Grande gome twelve or fifteen years ago an old gunboat that could not in reason be ex4 pected to come down, and to that lone- ly spot few officers were sent from time to time. The man about to be transferred received his relief with smiles of joy andassurances of comnis- eration. The amusements of the ward. : room were expeditions to Mexico and f visits to neighboring Texans towns. Luckily for the youngsters of to-day Rio Braya no longer makes even the ' pretense to fioat.-N. Y. Sun. @- ----
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