The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-28
Pay OF Enlisted Men.

Pay OF Enlisted Men.
Commenting on Secretary Longs pro-
posal for the building Of two practice
ships. for the purpose of training boys
for the navy, and with the usual carp
ing criticism which seems to be the
approved Democratic attitude toward
all propositions for the Improvement of
the public service, the New York
Journal says: "If Secretary Long will
advocate some measure by which the
sailor will be placed on an equal foot
ing with the soldier he will have inau-
gurated policy far more conducive to
the good Of the service than training
ships manned by discontinued sailors"
II the suggestions Of the Journal were
carried out. and the men in the navy
were put on precisely the same pay and
allowances as are the soldiers, the gov
eminent would indeed have a hard time
In enlisting men for the navy or in re-
tanning those already in the service
dAtcr tuciT pEcScHt pcfAou VI chiAothchs
has expired.
The fact is that the men in the navy
are far better paid than are those in
the army; indeed better paid than
are the seamen in merchant employ in
any country in the world, save the
United States. and fully up to the stand
ard of this country. The Journal OBJ
1ects to compelling seamen to buy their
own clothing. while in the army the
government furnishes uniforms; and
also because a deduction of 20 cents
month Is made from their pay for the
support of naval hospitals. The addi-
tional pay which enlisted men in the
navy receive, over that paid in the
army, far offsets the cost to them of
their clothing.
For example. seamen in the navy re-
ceive $25 a month, with additional pay
OF 81 a month for each re-enlistment for
q term Of three years, while in the army
privates receive $13 month. with an
additional dollar for each re-enlistment
for a term of five years. Corporals in
the army receive SIS a month. sergeants
$1S, first sergeants $25, and in the high
est noncommissioned rank open to en-
listed men in the line, that Of sergeant
major. the pay is but ss6 a month. Con-
trast this with corresponding positions
in the navy. The lowest class of petty
officers receive $50 a month, the second
class s35, the first class $40. and chief
petty officers from $50 to $65 month.
with additional pay proportioned to
length of service. In addition to this
the rank Of warrant officer is open to
all enlisted men who qualify themselves
for 1t, with pay Of from 81, 200 to 81, 800
a year, and with retiring pay on the
same basis as commissioned officers.
The old, grizzled. first sergeant in the
army. after thirty years service, the
hero OF countless Indian trays and the
dry nurse of succession OF young off,
GERS fresh from the military academy,
draws $50 month in pay and the gov
eminent furnishes him with his cloth
ing. His naval contemporary Of like
standing draws from $50 to s74. If in
deed he has not received warrant rank
with the greatly increased pay. The
navy offers career for young Ameri-
cans with as substantial rewards as are
likely to be enjoyed by the average
man in civil life, and better than he
could expect to receive in the merchant
service. Petty officers, with the stand
ing of enlisted men, receive better pay
than is given masters of merchant ships
in most European countries, and the
average pay OF the captains of ocean
steamers Is no higher than that Of war
rant officers in the navy, with no pro-
vision for old age, such as the latter
position carries.
The government not only needs more
men for the navy. but the constant ex-
ertion now Is to improve the personnel
Of the service and procure the enlist
4.