Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-07-07
HOWITISINTHENAvY
POSITION AND REMUNERATION or
THE ENLISTED MEN.

POSITION AND REMUNERATION or |
THE ENLISTED MEN.
The Vast and Varied Force Of mechanics In
the Service Here skilled Laber Flnds
Steady Emplsymeat with sure P~y.
s~amss cia.. Worst Paid.
Although the seamen and even the
petty officers Of the United States navy
are largely of foreign birth. there never
wss time when places in the navy be-
low the rank Of commissioned officers
were so attractive TO native Americans.
As the old wooden ships and the old
fashioned steam propelled ships give
place 70 modern marine machines the
navy becomes more and more suited to
the tastes of capable Americans
Since the Kearsarge laid her bones
upon Roncador there are left In really
sctive service only 10 wooden ships.
though there are 10 others used as re-
ceiv.ng ships and as Scholarships Of ono
sort or another. All the sailing chips
that ever move from place 20 place arc
the training ships and schoolships- The
navy has long been made mp chiafiy Of
steam propelled vessels, and 1t will be
only few years before the whole 90
tive list will be composed OF iron or
steel steamships
This gradual change in the navy has
wrought marked change In the par
sonnel Of the petty officers and the en-
listed men, as In the conditions under
which they work. Captain Codman's
mournful cry that there are no more
sailors Is ~ true OF the navy ~ OF the
merchant service. The navy still ships
ssaraen at wages ranging from els to
90 per month, but IL also ships host
Of artifosrss mechanics. hrsnzNu and
whn1mut ~ w4gss stnnsetmss szruu1tnU
e7o pw month
The new navy as IL grows will need
an increasing number of men in these
special classes. There are nearly ~ many
new vessels building ~ there are wood
en- ships now ON the active list, and ev-
cry new iron steam propelled monster
that Is added to the navy creates an in
creased demand for the skilled and high
paid classes Of enlisted men Already
there are some scores Of rnnchinists af
$40 per month, boiler makers ut e60.
blscksmiths ut $50. plumbers at t45.
water tenders, oilers. firemen and print
ers at from ESQ to $40 per month, TO say
nothing Of coppersmiths. shipwrights
and coal psssera ut wages varying from
| $50 per month down To &22.
The seaman class, the worst paid Of
all I'm Its lower branches, is very well
paid in the higher ranks. The lad that
enters as third class apprentice at ~
per month may reasonably hope TO be.
come chief master ut arms at f65 pen
month. The had with gift for music
may easily find himself transferred tc
the special class that includes musi.
clans. writers and apothecaries. and
here the wages vary from els 10 s6f
per month.
There La n special provision Of Law q
encourage good men TO remain long In
the service The ordinary term Of en'
listment is three years, and by this pro
vision any honorably discharged mnr
who re-enlists within three months
from the date of his discharge returni
10 the navy with his pay raised Oh PEI
month. The extra dollar Is added a
each re-enlistment, and there may easi
ly be half u dozen re-enlistments, or fu
that matter = dozen. Il means that {
good man who sticks 60 tho service fn
lie eets three months vacation ever,
three years, followed by an increass o
pay
IL usually happens that the man VIII
fhus eulists and re-enlisfs has reaches
the grade Of petty officer ut his third O
fourth enlistment. and after that tn,
larger pay Of his new place increase
regularly u per month every thre
years, should he choose to continue II
the service There are other small per
quisites Of one kind or another tina
swell the earnings Of the sailor tina
sticks TO the navy, and there awaits hin
In old age q safe retreat ashore with oil
companions.
1t is true that mechanics In the nav
receive nominally smaller wages tina
men OF their trades ashore, bnt they ar
!, subject TO none Of the uncertainties Q
business The navy goes right ON 4
times Of panic. and there IN no dockin
for illness. Employment and pay ar
secure for the rest OF q mans days. an
promotion is almost within his ow
control
II The aristocratic organization Of tn
, navy doubtless has kept many self n
specting native Americans from enlist
ing, but the service Ia vastly NOR
democratic In practice than In theory
True. no enlisted man may hope 10 b.
come commissioned ofiieer, but th
enlisted man Of tried ability and know
good conduct always earns the respeC
and the consideration OF his superiors
The brutal officer of the deck is almos
unknown In the United States navy, an
|, the self respecting enlisted man Ii sel
! dom made TO feel that any one look
! down upon him
His food Is wholesome, clean an
abundant, and the officer Of the dec
must taste Il before 10 IN served TO tn
. men at any meal. His quarters are bsl
ter and better ms the navy improves. am
the privileges Of the we'll ordered sea
man are many and agreeable The nav
! department holds out ~ am inducemen
20 men that think Of enlisting the pro-
pect Of seeing foreign parts 'Yea
through portfolio, was the old tim
,. Jack Tar's cynical comment when n N
cruiting poster met his eye ashore.
ii But the seaman whose own condus
: does not curtail his liberty" may %