The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-02
Features # the Service That Suggest an
Aristocra,ic Organization.

Although the United States navy is by
far the most democraticaliy constituted
military body in the world i'm its person
rcl. IL does not lack the distinction Of APP
rearance and manners commonly sup
,.aSes,-- 49, 30 confined to ar'stoc'acirs.
This is trud Of staff as well as OF line,
~ them who have obtained their CONF
missions after a course of education at
the Naval Academy. and as We'll Of those
that nave entered the navy Immediately
from civil life Yet, while the method
OF getting into the navy is constantly
tecomiul more democratic, the service
rs or4anleu IN arlstOCIarc fashion. Inc
raw, was formed al a time when this
country vas much less OF social democ-
racy than 1t now is and when European
social traditions brought over by The early
colonists sin had considerable force.
40 navy draws a sharper line between
the commissioned officer and the enlisted
man. The phrase Officer and gentleman
as EXPRESSED in the rules and regulations
of the service means something diner
en-. So far a. tAe Inter member is con-
cerntl. tnan tlc popular conception oil
thc word gentleman. The youth VINO cn-
ters the ward room from home whore
Dc has been accustomed to few Injuries
place whore dinner is conducted after a
~omewhat formal fashion ana whore he
r.av demand when he Will the personal
service of one or more attendants. IL
is "a fayorite theory in the service that
tho men most exacting toward The snip
blows" are those who were brought up
with Ntu. or nothing in the way OF at
tendance al home Be this as II may,
The ward room Gcnzens look like com
pa.v OF w,u-brod well-dressed men. and
speak as one would expect such men 10
slcak Doubtless the simple and taste
FIJI uniform IS responsible for part or
this. and certainly the average naval OIL
Ger is better dressed in uniform than IN
ciuzcn's attire.
Although the navy register shovt a
strong preponderance of English maize,
the navy is not largely recruited fron{ Ola
American families. nor docs 1t include
many sons of rich men, or many yotths
from fashionable urban society. 1t top-
reseuts American society, as Wjoie
Even ia, names that have been famous
In The navy in times past are not LARGELY
recresentcd I'm the navy Of to-day. There
is r, Decatur. or Eainbrldge. or MeDOn-
oueh or Farragu'
The navy does not attract the giided
y0uth. because The pay - insufficient 10
me the needs of !adS brought up TO
love luxury II does attract. however
the sons of the poor and Of those that
have moderate means As American
fathers do not ordinarily leave the bulk
OF their fortunes TO eitest sons, there are
no cadets Of rich families to crowd into
the service. as Is The case IN foreign
navlen The American farmer boy or
mechanics son. after a long course OF
study and discipline. goes form, conmis-
sion in hard, 10 NEE, soroad on equal
terms the aristocrats Of foreign navies,
and 20 take part. as at Kiel. IN royal re-
coptlons and like cercmOn'al<
There is in the navy considerable num-
her Of ofrcars of German descent. many
Of French descent. perhaps as many OF
Irish descent though Irish names are not
common: a good many of DutcN. and a
few Of snarish and Italian. Win all
this msxfn,c the navy has few names
Of ou.land.sh sound to European ears.
Perhans The most foreign-soundirg name
IL that of Cipriano Andrade. an engineer
officer Doctor Dismnkes. also Of the
engineer CORPS. bears a name very close
10 that Of "A distinguished person. A
few OF the other odd names in tho service
are CoIvocoresscs, Braunersrauthor. and
Hoogcwerf The number OF Hebrew
names Is extremely smaii-New York sun.