Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-18
RECRUITS FROM THE WEST
Young Men to Be Enlisted for the
Navy.
Will BE Given n Cruise From San
Francisco to New York
on the Hartford.

Secretary Long is deeply interested In the
result of an experiment which Is to be
made under the direction of Captain John
NJ. Hawley, for the enlistment of 300 or
800 men in the middle west and west for
the navy Not only Is 1t believed that the
enlistment of men from the interior of the
country will quicken that sections inter-
est in the navy, but IT. has been ascertained
from actual experience that western men
bring to the service a higher order of intel
Hgence than the class of men who enlist on
the seacoast. Many inquiries have been
received by the department from young
men of adventurous spirit in the west, who
would like to join the navy, but who cannot
afford the expense of travelling to New
York or Boston with chances Of rejection
after their arrival.
To Recruit the Navy in the West.
1t is proposed. therefore, to send recruit
Ing officer to the west next month to gather
in 800 or $50 recruits. Only bright and
promising young men between the ages of
eighteen and twenty-five will be taken. and
none but American citizens will be enlist
ed. All must be able to read and write.
Exceptional Inducements are to be Of
fered these recruits in the shape of a long
cruise on Admiral Farragut's old flagship
Hartford. to the rigging of which the old
hero was dashed as he sailed into Mobile
bay The Hartford, which was kept in
commission as training ship for many
years, largely out of a sentimental regard
for her conspicuous history, is now at the
Mare Island navy yard, Cal She has been
thoroughly refitted at a cost of about $3.50
900. A modern battery has displaced her
old guns, she IS lighted with electricity, and
as her engines are simply auxiliary to her
sail power she is rOomier and far mora
comfortable than modern warship.
Cruise for the Recruits.
The recruits will be sent to the receiving
ship Independence al San Francisco for sew
eral months of preliminary shaking down"
and will then embark upon the Hartford
for New York, either by the way of Cape
Horn or across the Pacific to China, thence
around to India and through the Red sea
and Mediterranean. On either route she
will touch at all important points, and this
first cruise will be great attraction for
young men who desire to see something of
the world.
Her executive officer will be Lieut.. Com
mander Alexander Sharp, q nephew Of Gen.
Grant, who had command of the yacht
Vixen of Admiral Schleys squadron during
the Spanish war. In addition to the re-
cruits she will carry 100 experienced men
to aid in the process of Transforming the
'land-lubbers" into able seamen. Upon
their arrival in New York the recruits will
be assigned to warships.
May Repeat the Experiment.
If this experiment is a success, as Capt.
Hawley confidently expects it to cit viii be
repeated with a view to the enlistment of
more sturdy Americans from the interior
into the service of our navy. Such enlist
ments, many naval officers believe, will still
further add to the efficiency of the men
behind the guns of whom the country is
already 50 proud. The pay of landsmen
starts at SIC month, but all have chance
for advancement. and at the end Of thirty
years. if they remain in the service, they
are entitled to retirement at three-fourths
of the pay Of the highest grade they have
obtained.