The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-04-27
The Wasp Arrives.

] comma and of Chief BoatsWain J. S.
Croghan, arrived at DonaldsonvilIe
| this afternoon and will remain until
! Tuesday evening or Wednesday morn
| ing, recruiting men for service in the
United States navy, and the prospects
are that quite a number of local boys
will attempt to enter the service, an
even dozen having already signiied
their intention of applying for the
medical examin ations
This is the first time in the history
of the nation that the navy department.
has assigned vessel on such a mis-
sion-that of visiting coast towns and
presenting the opportunities and adj
vantages offered to young men TO be-
come 'sblue-i jackets "-and the success
of the cruise has borne out the wisdom
of the action The Wasp left Norfolk,
Va, on Jan. 5, and reached New Or
leans March l, passing Donaldson
vile on it's trip up the Mississippi on
Sunday, March 3, and proceeding as
far as Cairo, Ill. No stops were made
by the vessel while going, but return
ing it has stopped at every town of
any size and has enlisted fair nums
Der of recruits at each.
There is no branch OF the service
which offers better opportunities for
advancement than the navy, and for
the boy or young man it is particularly
advantageous. The pay is good and
as food, clothing, medicine and the
best medical attendance is furnished
free, the sailor is enabled to save al.
most his entire income. The duties
are not arduous and every chance IS
given the boys for study and self-ad-
vancement, the ships libraries being
at their disposal for this purpose.
Besides this, they are constantly tray.
cling from one country TO another
which in itself is All education-aud
are granted shore leave at frequent
intervals. The crews OF most ships
org anize baseball and football teams,
minstrel companies and other amuse-
| ment clubs. and manage to get more
thar their share of enjoyment out of
life. From all of which it can be seen
that the navyman is far better OF than
his soldier or civilian brother.
The monthly pay at enlistment, as
given in the rating, ranges from SIG
for apprentice seamen to S65 for boiler
makers, with bonus of four months
pay and an increase Of $685. per month
for re-enIistment at the expiration of
the first term. All applicants as me-
chanics must be twenty-one years of
age, but apprentice soamen are enlisted
down to seventeen years.
Perhaps no better illustration of the
chances offered young men for promo
ton can be given than by citing the
history of Chief Croghan's rise from
third-class apprentice to the COM
mand of the W asp Capt. Croghan
entered the service seventeen years
ago at sixteen years of age, receiving
SO per month-sthe pay for the same
grade now being S16. He was soon
made second class at 81, then seamen
apprentice, second class, at S19; later
first class at $24, and then could go no
higher because the law prohibited a
minor from being made first class
petty officer. This has been changed
and today minor is eligible for this
rank at a salary of $40 per month.
Chief Croghan re-enlisted as coxsw ain
at $50, but was shortly moved up to
boatswain's mate, second class, at S35,
then first class at 49, On his third
enlistment he was made chief boat-
sWain's mate at $50, and later ap-
pointed warrant officer at a salary of
S1400 per year, which was soon in
creased to $1,000. After this he was
made chief boatswain and later placed
in command of the W. asp.
The conditions in the service then
were not near as good as they are to-
day, and any young man who studies
and conscientiously strives to better
himself is insured OF promotion and
increase of pays
The Wasp was formerly private
yacht and was purchased by the gov.
eminent during the Spanish-American
war for 1914. 900. The vessel is 200 feet
long, with a draft of Il feet, and is
equipped with an 1900 horsepower
triple expansion four-cylinder engine,
complete electric light and heating
plants, wireless telegraph apparatus,
and all the latest navigating instru.
ments. Her armament consists of two
Hotchkfss six-pound6rs and four Colt
guns, each capable of being fred $50
times per minute. The Wasp will be
open TO visitors from a. N. to sunset
each day. and every body is assured
of receiving the most courteous treat
ment from the gallant commander and
crew OF the trim little vessel