Evening star., 1905-11-11

the raw landlubber this progress to the
grade of seaman and to the pay of s24 has
been matter only of six or eight months,
dependent not upon vacancies ahead, but
upon his own merit.
Seaman Smith is now in direct line for
the various ratings petty officer" These
positions aboard the man-of-war are di-
vided into seaman branch" "artificer
branch" "messman branch" and special
branch" the last including hospital stew
ards, yeomen (clerks) and musicians. He
is eligible, after twelve months as seaman,
to enter one of these branches as petty
officer, third class" at $50 per month. In
another year or more, depending upon va
cancies and upon himself, he may go still
further, becoming petty officer, second
class with pay of $50 or $40, his next
and upward, and still another making him
Chief Petty officer Smith," with a salary
of $40 per month.
Showered With Perquisites.
But we have forgotten Jack Tar's per-
quisites and allowances thus far in his ad-
vancement. The rates of pay mentioned
fall far short of representing his total COM
pensation, and are supplemented by a
long list of extra pay.
If when only a 'landsman," he IS de-
tailed as a ''jack-of- the-dust' (provision
handler), or as a lamplighter, he is paid
for his additional trouble an extra IS per
month Then there is his ration provided
in kind, with equivalent of 50 per month.
On many of the ships the 50 is given in
lieu Of the ration, and the various grades
of men on board club together electing
caterer from among their own number and
providing their own food. Thus have been
organized on the men-of-war various eat
ing clubs or ''messes,' such as the petty
officers mess and so on. The experiment
has proved that the sailors, after securing
ample and satisfactory provisions, have still
lGFt Of hal,
convenient spending money for luxuries
Re-enlisting at the expiration Of his four
year term Jack receives a bonus of four
months extra pay if he will enlist again.
He may, between terms, loaf four months
with pay If careful to re-enlist a day or
two before the leave expires, or he may
re-enlfst the very next day after his term
Is up and receive double pay for the four
months thereafter Thus. although he gets
his "shore liberty" throughout the four
years of his enlistment, he is given govern
Inent clerks generous leave of one month
per year or its equivalent in lucre. Besides
this bonus for re-enlistment, he has, re-
gardless Of his grade s1,36 per month
tackled onto his pay after each re-enlist-
ment, Not even this being considered
sufficient, a further increase Of seventy
five cents per Notwithstanding a total of
&. Ills given upon the completion of the
secSnd and subsequent enlistments with a
good record. Along with this extra al
lowance is thrown in good conduct
medal
AS soon as he is rated as a seaman gun
ner' two more dollars are added to his
monthly wage. If assigned to duty as
gun captain he draws an additional s. per
month for that: or If as gun pointer he
gets from 50 to $40 per month extra, ac-
cording to the class of gum If signal
man, he receives S3, 81 or 81. depending
upon whether he be first, second or third
class. If ne serves as crew messman more
over, or is put in charge of the hold or Is
assigned to a submarine boat or is made
coxswain to the ommander-in-chief, he
again has 50 per month added TO his wage.
Then, having graduated in any of the
branches of the petty officers school, he
has another S2 added to his monthly pay.
Scientific Diet and Expert Medical Care
BY no means to be overlooked are the
many provisions made for the bluejacket's
health and general welfare. His food is
regularly inspected by an officer before it
is served him. Then, there are aboard each
battIeship and accessible to each sailor
doctors office hospital and apothecary
shop. all of whose services are gratis The
humblest jackey is under the constant
scrutiny of physicians and surgeons of the
highest standing in their profession en-
terlng the service through a rigid eXamna-
zion. These medical men equipped with
the most modern apr lances and are as
sisted by the most skillful OF trained nurses
always in readiness. Furthermore. the5ke
doctors and nurses never send in their bills.
Should the sailor he taken seriously i'll on
land he is sent at government expense, and
without losing his pay or allowances, to one
of the naval hospitals maintained by our
government ct every navy yard or station
and now even In Alaska, Yokohama, Homo
lulu and Manila. Not only is Jack Tars
health protected by scientific diet. in
spected thrice a day by hospitals, surgeons
ana nurses, but by the most sanitary and