The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-06-08
AMERICANS AS SAILORS.
There Should BE Greater Inducement
for Men to Enlist.

The Importance of having United States
! ships manned by American sailors has been
subject of comment especially during the
| last few weeks. It is stated, as a rule
| that the American sailor has not been
treated as generously as have been the
"tars" of other nationalities, and this &C
| counts. 1t is said, in a great measure, for
! the backwardness Of Americans to enter the
service, which Is composed largely Of the
foreign element.
| In 1891 Ensign A. B. Niblack contributed
| to the United States Naval Institute an
essay on THE Enlistment. Training, and
Organization of Crews for Our New Ships"
| for which he received a prize. 1t was an
excellent paper.
Ensign Niblack took the ground that the
| men in the navy should be we'll paid and
| well cared for. AS regards the question Of
| marines, the marine corps will doubt
| he says, be able to work out it's own saliva
| ton. 1--WE must secure for our ships" he
| continued, homogeneous crews and uniform
| ity In drill, routine, training and organiZa-
| ton. We must secure for our men i'm
| proved comforts and rewards for faithful
| service. and provide career that will at
| tract the best possible class of men into
| the service"
| Commander G. H. Wadleigh, in discus
| sing Mr.. Niblack's paper, said:
I'm time of war patriotism and prize
money will bring US all the men we need;
at other times the pay and opportunities
| for advancement will be the motives of
most of the men who enter the service as
| they are Of those who enter the employ of
| corporations and individuals. That the pay
| Of the seamen class is too small Is shown
! by the fact that many of the best, those
| who have been trained in the service, leave
| it and obtain better pay in civil life. The
| pay in the navy should be more than is
| given in the merchant service, and would
suggest $50 a month for seamen and $22
| for ordinary Seamen. At present many de-
| sirable landsmen work for the rate of coal
| beavers instead of ordinary seamen because
| of the greater pay of So a month which the
| former receives.
! The point that I consider of the highest
| Importance is that the young American who
| enters the navy should feel that the highest
| rank in the navy is within his reach If he
has the ability to obtain it. 1t is believed
| that the navy is the only service in the
| United States, public or private, where the
| boy who commences at the foot Of the
| ladder cannot climb to the top If he has it
| in him to do. 1t Is admitted that he
may do so in case of war. but with wars
| growing less and less frequent as weapons
| and explosives made more deadly the
| chance for an admirars commission looks
| very slight to the recruit of 1891.
Give every American boy or man Of good
| character, who has qualified as seaman
gunner, has given five years service and
| is under the age of g. the right to apply for
| examination for the grade Of ensign, with
| the knowledge that it is the same examna-
| ton given the naval academy graduate and
! that If he passes a commission as ensign
will be the reward. and great step will
| have been taken to improve the character
| and skill Of the men in the service. Should
| all those that apply and fall to pass leave
| the service they will not leave the country,
| and will be available in war time. In the
| opinion Of the writer. every man or boy
who has served creditably for three years Is
worth to the country 10 times what he may
have cOst."-Baltmore Sun.