Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-06-29

Of the United States navy, either in weight
or nutritive qualities. although the Amer
lean sailor may be crainped ~ his sleeping
quarters, he has no cause, 1t Is asserted, to
complain of his food, as 1t is the best pos
sible under the circumstances, and vastly
superior to that of his, brethren in other
navies, excepting nome;
Living room Is very. limited on board
modern warships. Eyerythi below decks
is sacrificed to engines, boilers and coal
bunkers Consequently" jackies' are hud-
died together like sheep in a storm. Each
man is allowed but fourteen inches room
for his hammock, and the hammocks are
dcvetailed together from beam to beam, SO
that the sleeping tarS form solid, COM
even in a rolling sea-. This is the greatest
drawback to service on modern man-of-
war, and is a source Of general complaint
from the veteran who has experienced
greater breathing space in the more spa
cious wooden frigates of bygone days.
With this exception, the lot Of the mod
ern tar is much easier In every respect than
in the olden days OF sailing SHIPS. s ne
The discipline is not so severe and exact.
ing, and he is afforded better protection
against tyranny and oppression on the
part of the officers. Their general nature,
however, has not undergone any material
change since the days of Cooper and Mary
att They are jolly. happy set,
always ready for lark or a light, with
an abnormal fondness for grog, and are
chronic grumblers over imaginary Ills
Nevertheless, it is said they are stanch and
true, and patriotic to the last breath, ana
will never go back on their country or
friend in distress.
boatswains and gunners. These places pay
from 81 200 to 81 800 year. They are open
to any sailor who has served more thail
one enlistment in the navy, and VINO snow
special aptitude for promotion. All ap,
pointments as warrant officers are based
on the record of the applicants. There are
several vacancies in. the list of boatswaans
at present, but none in the list OF sunners'
Warrant officers are retired on three,
| quarters pay. Petty officers are pensioned
on half pay II physlcdiiy ihcapaoi'a'eu io
re-enliStment.
Everybody is acquainted with the familiar
loose blue uniform of the jack tar, ana
those who have seen him on shipboard IN
presentment in the well-known white
| Jumpers" of the service.
Recruiting is slack just at present but II
is expected to pick up in the fall. The ex-
PLANTATION of this is that most of the avail
| able men are engaged on pleasure yachts
| for the summer The improved financial
condition of the country is also given as a
reason for the present falling off in en-
listments.
aliens, who have no patriotic affiliation
with this country or its institutions. That
this is erroneous Is demonstrated by the
last census of the navy, which shows that
nearly 70 per cent of the entire enlisted
force Is composed of citizens Of the United
States either by birth or naturalization.
| The other so per cent is made up of aliens,
the majority Of whom are Scandinavians,
Chinese and japanese in the navy, but
| they are employed almost exclusively In
the mess rooms. Negroes are numerous,
but they, too, are mostly mess attendants.