Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-23

States. The Poly
technic at Boston has
course In architecture, which includes
shipbuilding; and Cornell. within the last
three years, has established a similar course
But both Of these are incomplete. 1t Is
necessary, therefore. to send our cadets
abroad to obtain the education necessary
to make them competent naval constructors
Two of them go abroad each year-either
to the Royal Naval College at Greenwich.
to the institute at Glasgow. or to
the French Maritime School in Paris. This
year 1t Is the Royal Naval College which
is to receive two Of our bright young men.
They will do we'll If they approximate the
records Of those who have preceded them.
Naval Constructor Taylor. who went to
Greenwich in 1885. carried off the highest
honors Of the Royal Naval College three
years later. and. moreover. excelled the
highest record made by a student OF that
Institution up 20 that time.
The best Institution.
OF the three Institutions named the best
is the Royal Naval College. 1t was estab-
lished in 1873 in the building which had
been used as a hospital and home for re-
tired seamen for many years. In 1865 the
5000 seamen who were living at the hos
pttdi were the opium Oh al diio"
ance for food and lodging In 1869 they
were compelled to accept the allowance and
the hospital building was cleared of them
to make way for the Royal Naval College.
There is reciprocity in naval matters be-
tween great Eations. notwithstanding the
fact that navies are maintained for the pro-
lection Of one nation against another. Eng
land invited all the nations Of the world to
send students to the Royal Naval College
The number was limited to two from each
nation. The United States did not take ad-
vantage of the invitation until 1879, when
two cadets. who had led the graduating
class at the academy, were selected to go
abroad. At that time naval constructors
were appointed from private life. by COM
petitive examination because there was no
course of naval architecture at the Naval
Academy. The object in sending the cadets
to Greenwich was to qualify them for APP
pointment as naval constructors. The ad-
vantages they would receive at Greenwich.
1t was thought, would make them much
More competent than any applicants for
appointment from civil life. whose oppor-
tunities for instruction must have been
confined to private institutes here or abroad
The Pioneer Cadets.
The pioneers of the experiment were Ca
diets Bowles and Gatewood. Gatewood is
dead, but Mr.. Bowles has been stationed
for many years at the Norfolk navy yard.
Bowles and Gatewood returned at the end
Of three years and were made assistant
naval constructors, with the rank of lieu
tenants. Then Nixon and Shock were sent
to Greenwich and two other cadets-Wood-
ward and Linnard-were sent to the French
maritime school in Paris. In 1885 Taylor
and Armistead were sent to the Royal
Naval College. and three other cadets
Baxter, Capps and Hewes-were sent to the
University of Glasgow. From that time on
cadets have been sent regularly to these
three institution. AS result, one-half of
the naval constructors and all of the assist
ant naval constructors on the naval list
are graduates of the Naval Academy where
a few years ago all of them were civilians
The chief of the bureau of construction
and repair Mr.. Hichborn, was appointed
from civil life. He Is not graduate of
Annapolis and he has never seen a day Of
sea duty. The same is true of Naval Con-
structors Fernald, Steele and Varney who
hold the relative rank Of commander.
Not All Remain in the Service.
OF the cadets of foreign colleges who have
returned to the United States and received
appointments in the navy not all have re-
manned in the service. Only three years
ago Lieut.. Nixon obtained permission from
the Secretary of the Navy to resign to en-
ter the employ Of the Cramps. 1t was said
at the time that he was to receive a salary
of $500. The Secretary of the Navy hesi-
tated for some time before letting him GO
The government had paid for his education
at Greenwich. and Mr.. Tracy had an idea
that IL he was worth $500 to the Cramps
he was worth $500 to Uncle Sam. Finally
he was permitted to go. There was per-
haps little more justice in giving him
permission than there would be in the case
OF the later graduates of the Royal Naval
College The first students sent abroad by
the government were compelled to pay a
good sum for the privilege. 1t cost them
70 lix+a ~
Mich, and all that they received from the
Navy Department was the Salary of their
rank-SJU in the case of a naval cadet or
$1,000 in the case of an ensign. In 1890
however, the government not only paid the
bills for education. but made an extra al
lowance of $40 a month for expenses. This
has been done ever since.
Many Advantages.
The advantages of taking the course of in
struction abroad are many In the first
place. there is an assurance of perraanence
in employment, which no lieutenant or can
tain in the navy has. naval constructor
Is seldom ordered away from the United
States Usually his assignment is steady.
and he has an opportunity to establish n
homo Tor himself and his family. instead
Of spending, alternately, three years on
shore and three years cruising about the
world. Then the pay of a naval constructor
Is much better than the pay of an ensign or
q lieutenant An assistant naval constructor
receives at first 81 500 u year when on leave.
or waiting orders, and $1,000 when on shore
duty. After four years Of service In the
grade he receives Sl.7OO or $3.50, accord
ing TO his assignment. Four years later he
begins to draw loo or $1,000. AS a naval
constructor. when he has been advanced to
that grade, he draws $500 when on leave
or waiting orders and $500 when on shore
duty. After five years this compensation is
Increased by 500; in five years more $500 is
aCded to this: after the next five years x,,O
mere Is added; and when the naval con-
structor has served twenty years in that
grade he draws $3.50 when on leave. or
n, 40 when on shore duty. There is only
one officer In the navy who draws more
when on shore duty. He Is the rear ad-
miral. whose shore-duty pay is 5000.
Some Differences Explained.
Here is the difference between the experi
ence of Naval Constructor Linnard. for ex-
ample. and a graduate of the Naval Acad-
envy Of his class. Mr.. Linnard became q
cadet midshipman in June, 1877. He was
made a naval cadet in August, 1SS2 He
was appointed assistant naval constructor
in July, 1883. He was made naval con-
ty, rral