The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-21
Cost of CIothing a big Item.

FOR al grades be1OW that OF command
er an advance of about ten per cent. is
allowed after five years of active service.
Cost of Clothing n Big Item.
The showing of these figures is not alto
gether unfavorable until one counts up the
expenses that the naval officer is COMPEL
ed to meet out of them. Then they dwindle
amazingly Take the matter of uniforms
for instance. These must be provided out
of the officers pay and the regulations re-
quire four complete suits. Civilian clothes
he must have wen and lieutenant, IL
compelled TO purchase a complete outfit
all at once, would find that this one item
required half of his years pay, the scale
of prices in vogue among naval tailors be-
ing decidedly high.
Hat Costs Nearly Twenty Dollars.
To attire himself for the first time In
naval fun dress costs the young officer in
round figures 5000. A few of the items fol-
low: Dress coat, $50; waistcoat IS; trous-
ers SIS; gold lace. IS. The cumbersome and
not at all pretty hat costs $3.50, and epau-
lettes add S65 more to the footing Gilt
epaulettes may be purchased for SIS, but
they soon tarnish, especially if put into
use in tropical climates, so that it is adj
Visable TO purchase the more expensive
kind, which are warranted to last a life
time" Last but not least in the officers es-
timation comes sword and belt The ordi-
nary sword as priced al SIS, though. of
course much more expensive ones may be
had. 1t costs the officer $1l more to buckle
his first sword belt about his waist-mak-
ing a total of $lS9.50 for one outfit
To this must be added the uniform
known as special full dress, for formal
occasions on shipboard. Il represents an
added cost of about SIS. For ordinary
wear the blouse coat is worn. Ii costs
4vnNy 10 NJ l..
cost from $40 to SIS; and the service cap
as $3.50 more. Every officer requires at
least two of these suits
The fourth variety of dress required by
the regulations is what is known as the
white uniform 1t is worn in tropical lat
itudes and on the ships of the North At
lantic squadron in summer Anybody who
has had experience with white duck for
sea wear knows that no less than four
changes will enable one to make a presen-
table appearance. These suits cost about
So each. The shoulder straps worn with
this uniform and with the blouse coat can
be purchased for from s. to $40
Must Have "A Cape on His Coat.
The last item in the official wardrobe
OF the naval man is an overcoat at $50. to
which government has kindly appended a
long cape at SS5 more These figures will
give an approximate idea of the necessary
size OF the Oi1lcer 5 tailOrS bill. The out
lay for shore clothes. bedding. towels ana
other necessary articles brings the total
considerably higher than that above indi-
Gated.
Another source of outlay for the officer
IS his table expense. Governments allow
ance for rations is 80 cents per day. which
III practice is regularly commuted and
adds nine dollars per month to the officers
pay. His mess expenses vary with the 10
cation of the ship and the season of the
year, but they average about So per
month.
Must Entertain Government Visitors.
One sort of expense which, the officers
believe in all justice should not be called
upon TO bear, is the cost of entertaining
official visitors on board. This they are al
present compelled to do The entertain
ment Of foreign officers, consuls or Off
cials Of cities which they may visit IN
course Of a cruise. Is made imperative bv
naval etiquette and the officers must foot
the bill. Add TO the expenditures noted
above the cost Of maintaining an establish
= ment on shore in case the officer is a mar.