The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-06-20
TIE NAVAL ACADEMY.

The NAVAL ACADEA1-
lapse to civil life unless they have In
fuence enough to obtain places in the pay
corps or marine corps A few very lucky
fellows of high standing are picked out of
the highest class and sent abroad to be
educated as naval constructors. AS yet
this country has no regular school of naval
construction.
The young men soon TO take their places
in line and staff as 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
the Detroit, the most powerful ships now
on the active list of the navy, each had
from four 10 seven of these young men,
sleeping in hammocks, sharing little
mess in the Storage and learning the real
business of navigation and naval warfare.
These youngsters while at sea for their
two years cruise received $3.50 year and
are probably better off financially than at
any subsequent period of their career, for
il is an understood thing that decent
economy becomes the naval cadet, and 1t
is hard matter to spend money at sea.
The first commission of the young line
officer is that of ensign. The first appoint
ment of the men from the engineer divi-
sion is as assistant engineer, with the rela-
tive rank of ensign. Each is addressed as
plain Mr. The ensign of the line re-
ceiyes for the first five years from the date
of his commission 81, 200 year at sea, ST.,
600 a year ashore and $500 year on wait
ing orders. The assistant engineer re-
ceives 81, 700 at sea for the first five years,
81, 400 ashore and $1,000 on waiting Or
ders. The man who finds no vacancy for
him in either of these divisions may be ap-
pointed assistant paymaster, with the rela-
tive rank of ensign, the title of Mr.. F" va
ried by "paymaster," and Familiarity
pay" and the same stipend as the young
assistant engineer.
Our young officers now come to their
commissions on the average at the age of
about % years. They are for the most part
well grown, shapely, active, high minded
young fellows, full of esprit de corps, genu-
inely but quietly enthusiastic for the flag
and the service, accomplished dancers,
good swordsmen and clever scholars within
the limits of their training. Every ship
has from one to four ensigns and from
one to 10 assistant engineers. They usual
~ belong to the steerage mess, but the pro-
motion from cadet to ensign means much
to the young officer 1t marks the change
from boy to man, from pupil to individual
masterhood. The juniors on some of the
small ships mess in the wardroom, but
pecuniary considerations make them pre-
fer their own mess in the steerage. The
wardroom mess, wine included, may easily
cost man S35 per month, while the steer
age mess may average considerably less.
There comes, however, to every junior in
the Storage an occasional invitation to
dine with the wardroom mess, and perhaps
the rare distinction Of dinner with the
captain in his lonely grandeur of the cabin.
The time 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 make. If
he be an ensign Of the line, he stands
watch in turn, and when he is alone on
the quarter deck he for the time being rep
resents the captain. Then whoever comes
over the sides or up the companionway,
whether he be cabin boy or executive Off
Ger with 80 years service behind him and
the near prospect of command rank, salutes
the slender youth as the embodiment of
authority.
The ensigns usually share watch duty
with the heutenants, and matters are so
arranged that every officer has from two
TO three days weekly free of watch duty.
The deck must never for an instant, day