The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-20
AMERICAN BOY AND AMERICAN
- NAVY.
HE Advantages In the Naval Service
Pointed Out by . Recruiting Omcer.

HE Advantages In the Naval service
Pointed Out by Recruiting Omcer.
To TIE EDITOR OF The suN-Sir: In
your paper OF Aug. II appears letter under
the heading The Great Need Of the Navy
signed by Mr.. Frederic Griffith.
feel that cannot conscienti ously, as q
recruiting ofioer. permit 1t to pass unan-
swered. In fact. certain statements made
by MIN make II imperative tina. l should
answer. since 1 have risen from the ranks
entered the wardroom through the en-
listnent roll"--to use Mr.. Grifith 8 words.
1t Is true that President Roosevelt Is
working INCREASINGLY to impress on the coun.
try that the future safety Of the United states
requires many and formidable naval vessels,
to be constructed with out delay" Who that
has watched tho war In tho Far East and
noted the important part played by the navy
Of the winning Power can deny that Mr..
Roosevelt h right' Yet persons IKE Mr..
meats a. arc contained In his letter from
Paris, bid fair to undo much OF the Presi-
dents tlYeleas work.
Mr.. Grih1th IL wrong when he says that
Enlistment does not commend itself to am-'
bilious fellows willing to begin low" and
that the Departments statement that tho
navy offers great chance for young men
TO see the world Is a come on" The great
trouble with most Of our young men is that
they arc not satisfied TO begin low. They
want 10 BEGIN on top. They know more. in
their own minds. when they 20 on board
ship than the man who Ii placed over them
and who has spent years in gaining his ex-
psrience. They do not take kindly to naval
discipline, which. nevertheless. must be en-
forced II we are TO have . service worth the
name.
NY, personal experience has been that no
man who shows the least desire TO learn and
to improve himself In the naval service will
ever lack assistance from Officers or enlisted
men Of longer experience.
No concern on shore offers more for tho
inteiileence invested than does the navy to
the average American boy.
AZ tho law stands to-day. boy can enter
the service at ~ years. reach warrant rank.
with . salary Of from o. 200 to 81 800 year.
by the time he Is "a or rs years OF age. secure
. commission In the line three years later.
and enjoy the rank OF full Lieutenant at the
sge Of So From then on his promotion is
lust a. rapid and he will just az surely reach
the srade Of Rear Admiral as any other
oiiacer Of similar rank. thus contradicting
Mr.. Grinfth 3 statement that after long years
Of dutiful service q man may be given the
rank OF Ensign and be allowed TO swing his
h.moGk IN the wardr con 6 tRs VIA sail.
S nt iP1 H. t1iiash viii take ths time tS yslt
marked change in the quarters for both
asssp ssss ss. .sf s%s saad.
10 can still win out against his brother IN
& i ns sticks ii e shs sn t.
to serve before retirement his pay will AVERAGE
30. per month. he ought to save $40 of that
have to Be IN civil life. and should have sa.oo'
In the. bank. not counting interest. when he
~ 2 IL sts . as g # wts 80
beat that " tho factory. in the store or on
'ns for .seeins the world" one of the most
pleasant memories OF . cruise l made as an
e81 1v wsnd f Sp y eDp men aur qos
IL time our shlp was anchored in that por!.
While on board that ship re visited perts IN
Ar9b!a, Persia, india. Ceylon. Java. Bo1neo
ipd .e: IT '2oEs
plsssed to notice that many Of the enlisted d
t R:a hs HS tooH ssssnded leave and. With
| . good guide. Travelled over large part OF
q tb.s p:r. ef she w snskd G hsn
hsaied about re shopPi1s distrSSss in ~ Ts *.
S .orI. through a1 H !. porthole.
s.2s s.d mn 1ssn:
ys:,: rssss
s Sss could h. est better
m snsn : ss There are no snobs in the
eia.s 81 s oscsss GrS men would
70 Wait one II OUT, bsttieshipe. where he will
II al probability md more q the offio S,, IN
th Sn n {rock coat and kid gloves.
No.. Mr.. Grinath has beef. III informed
! respecting the United states Navy. and he
| gins all young men to give 1t fair
trial. rather than TO write, however nntnten;;
l tfnnaltv m hta In n manner that VIII
only serve 70 DISCOURAGE the few who have
| thouShts inclined In that direction.
Tho Law ellows twelve warrant officers t9
thus far les than half that number have
applied, though the Navy Department has
| do so HENRY B. SouLE.
| Lieutenant, United States Navy.
NAVAL REcRUITrNo OFFICE No. S. SPRING.