The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-28


For al grades below that of COM
mander an advance of about TO per cent
is allowed after five years Of active
service.
COST OF CLOTHING A BIG ITEM.
The showing of these figures is not
altogether unfavorable until one counts
up the expenses that the naval officer
is compelled to meet out of them.
Then they dwindle amazingly. Take
the matter of uniforms, for instance.
These must be provided out Of the Off
GERS pay, and the regulations require
four complete suits. Civilian clothes
he must have as well, and a lieutenant.
if compelled TO purchase a complete
outfit al at once, would find that this
one item required half of his year s
pay, the scale of prices in vogue among
naval tailors being decidedly high.
HAT COSTS TWENTY DOLLARS.
To attire himself for the first time in
naval full dress costs the young officer,
in round figures, 5000. A few of the
items follow: Dress coat. $50; waist
coat IS; trousers, SIS; gold lace, Sc. The
e. cumbersome and not at all pretty hat
costs $3.50, and epaulettes add S65
more to the footing. Gilt eDaulettes
49, be purchased for S25, but they soon
tdrNish. especially if put into use in
tropical climates, SO that it is advis-
able to purchase the more expensive
kind. which are warranted to last q
lifetime" Last, but not least in the
officers estimation, comes sword and
belt. The ordinary sword is priced al
SIS. though, of course. much more ex-
pensive ones may be had. 1t costs the
officer $11 more to buckle his first sword
about his matchmaking a total OF
S1S9.50 for one outfit.
To this must be added the uniform
known as special full dress, for forma
occasions on shiuboard. 1t represents
an added cost Of about S75. For ordi-
nary wear the blouse coat is worn. Il
costs from $50 to SAC; the trousers to gC
with it cost from SO to SIC. and the
service cap is $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 a!
the white uniform. 1t is worn in trop
zeal ATTITUDES and on the ships Of TIT
North Atlantic squadron in summer
Anybody who has had experience witt
white duck for sea wear knows that ni
less than four changes Will enable ont
TO make a Dresentable appearance
These suits cost about sos each TIL
shoulder straps worn with this uniform
and With the blouse coat can be pur
chased for from So to $40.
MUST HAVE a CAPE ON HIS COAT
The last item in the official wardrob
of the naval man is an overcoat at $5(
to which the government has kindl.
appended. long cape at SIS more
These figures Will give an approXimat
idea OF the necessary size of the Off
ceT's tailor's bin. The outlay for shor
cloEhes, bedding, towels and othe
Necessary articles brings the total con
shefably higher than that above indi
Gated.
Another source of outlay for the off
Ger is his table expense. Government
allowance for rations is 80 cents pc
day, which in practice is regularly com
muted and adds 50 per month to til
officers pay, His mess expenses var
with the location Of the ship and til
season of the year, but they averag
about $35 per month.
ENTERTAIN OFFICIAL VISITORS
One sort OF expense which, the OFF
GERS believe, in all justice they shoul
not be called upon to bear, is the COS
of entertaining official visitors O
board. This they are at present con
PEELED to do. The entertainment of fol
eign officers, consuls, or officials
cities which they may visit in course
a cruise is made imperative by nav;
etiquette and the officers must foot II
bill. Add to the expenditures note
above. the cost OF maintaining an e:
Establishment On shore in case the of
Ger is married man, and it is difficu
to see how he can manage to make h
account balance on the right side
the ledger at the end of year.
More discouraging to the efficiency
officers than scanty pay is the prospe
of an almost interminable wait for PR
motion. If a man is at all fitted f,
command he is better fitted for it
forty or forty-five than at fifty-ive
sixty, when he is almost ready to r
tire The problem of an adequate sy
TEN of promotion is a difficult one
solve satisfactorily; but certainly g
Organization which, like our presel
one, has kept-tw o-thirds of the lieutel
as2ts in subordinate positions for twel
tySive years or more cannot be e,
pecfed to result in the highest efficienc
CONGRESS TO SEEK REMEDIE
This question of the navy's organic
ton is one that will come UP for Il
considering Of congress at the comm
session. 1t is as important as any que
ton of new battleships or improved d
lenses, for, as Captain Mahan has sal
Good men with poor ships are bett
than poor men with good ships"
any proof OF the truth of this rcma;
were needed the relative showing of o.
ships and those of Spain in the rece
conflict would be sufficient.