The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-06-06
UsURERs ON MEN-oF-WAR.
Petty Officers and Cooks who Charge High
Interest on Loans.

Every ship of the u. S. Navy carries
a Insurer. AS often as not he is petty
officer, though he used frequently to De
the ships cook. This latter parsonage
in earlier days had post of considerable
profit. The Government issues apund-
ant and excellent Injuries out of its own
pocket. Before the days of early coffee
and when Jack could get nothing to eat
before O'Clock, the cook drove hand
some trade in coffee dealt out in the
small hours at five or ten cents cup.
Now Jack gets his coffee free so soon as
duty calls him ON deck, and the cook has
lost that source of profit. But the cook
still furnishes pies, cakes and other daln-
ties, and makes pretty penny out of the
business.
Being a man of money, the cook natu-
rally became a Insurer. There have been
Captains who refused to permit their men
to draw pay during the cruise, and thus
created an ideal situation for the encour-
a bonus of s., and got it all back when
he could. The Government now discour-
ages money lending but it still goes on,
| though no paymaSter will honor an order
in the hands of a usurer. 1t is easy to
guess, however, that out of ships crew
of 800 men there will be good many i'm
provident ones to fall into the hands of
the usurer. The latter, on monthly pay
of $35, will sometimes draw from the
paymaster round 49, 600 at the end of a
| three years cruise The Government S
saving bank system for Jack has tended
| to discourage the usurer and develop
thrift in the common sailor.
Officers are forbidden by the Articles of
War to have. financial dealings with en-
listed men, so the usurer seldom has
aught to do with the wardroom. An
officer is caught and then court-m
| tailed for the Offense. 1t was one OF the
sins of an officer recently cashiered Once
in generation a wardroom officer plays
the role of usurer. He is never held in
high esteem by his fellow officers though
he is sometimes convenience. 1t is on
| ly fair to say that his rates are less than
those OF the cook or petty officer. AS often
as not an officer falls into the hands of
usurers through losses at cards Gamb-
| ling even for small points, is seldom
practiced on board man of-war, but
there is a game to be had ashore in most
ports, and the navy includes its quota of
occasional gamblers and a few that come
near being professors of the craft When
| a mans pay is drawn to the last cent
and he has T. o. UPS out to consume
what is coming due in the future. his
natural recourse for ready cash is "a usur-
er. The City of Washington swarms with
usurers whose victims are department
employees, but who do not scorn naval
oficera. One occasionally sees the adver-
tisement of these persons in the periodi-
Gals that reach men in the service. One
such advertiser, on being appealed to for
rates on considerable loan, offered to
provide the needed money at three per
cent. a month. Department. clerks and
the like often pay five and even ten per
cent. month The rates seem high, but
doubtless they are not higher than they
should be considering the risk. Other
wise the business would soon be crowded
w it'll capital and rates would fall. An
officer with his pay mortgaged to a usurer
is in ticklish position for the Govern
ment deals strictly with naval officers in
matter of credit, and the man who falls
into VIGOROUSLY bad repute financially is
admonished, and if Indifferent to admo-
milton is collrt-martialed. Only the other
day an officer in financial straits sawed
| himself from severe punishment by put
ting his affairs in the hands of trustee
| pledged to re-establish his credit. New
York Sun.