The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-09-17
LIFE IN THE u. S. NAVY

but it is reasonable to suppose that
this amount is relatively as large as
that thus accumulated by employees of
corporations throughout the country.
AS an example, and there are many
similar instances, while serving as pay
officer of II ship the writer exchanged
navy checks for $1,000 in cash with a
man who had been honorably discharg-
ed after a four.year enlistment. Most
of this amount he had saved in a pri.
vate way. His intention was to invest
it in lands in the West.
Life Aboard Ship.
"Life aboard ship is rather secluded
and if sailors sometimes set a lively
pace when on leave they are ashore
so seldom that any comparison of their
acts of omission or commission with
those of the ordinary citizen would be
unfair to sailors.
"When ashore their time is limited.
Consequently they spend more money
in less time than ordinary citizens
would for the same purposes; but that
sailors are spendthrifts or 'easy marks ,
does not follow.
The publiv has its places of amuse-
ment always at hand. If sailors some.
times overstep the mark while seeking
recreation it is not from desire to
throw away money, but because Of
their lack of opportunity for diversion,
and the great freedom they feel away
from discipline and routine life. AS
they have certain punishment to face
for every excess, and are rarely ashore,
it is reasonable to suppose that the
a1Na e. n1,t 1nas.
than that squandered by workmen in
the same situation of life, because the
latter are not under similar restraint.
"The high standard of enlistment
required by the department today, be-
cause of the skill necessary to man a
modern warship, has brought into the
navy a class of men who appreciate the
means at their disposal for saving. The
old impression must yield to the fore
going evidence of thrift
The methods of making extra money
on shipboard are manifold. "Tailoriz-
ing' is one of the most profitable.
While a ships tailor is detailed to
most of our ships, his duties are limit
ed to making necessary alterations in
the uniforms which are issued to the
members of the crew. Many enlisted
men own sewing machines upon which
they do repair work.
They also do odd jobs for officers
such as pressing and cleaning. Accord.
ing to the National Magazine handy
man with the needle can make hand.
some sum by doing fancy work. Some
of the most delicate embroidery work
has been done by sailormen.
Ship Barber Snap.
The ships barber makes a comfort
able living in addition to his regular
pay. The distribution of prizes at
target practice enriches the Golfers OF
the gun crew by a considerable sum
Men who are detailed to duty on board
submarine boats are allowed an add
tional So a month, and besides a dollar
day for every day the boat is sub
merged.
Bluejackets detailed as signalmen, as
coxswains of power boats or in charge
of holds are allowed extra pay. A crew
messman receives So a month for per.
forming that function, and the man
who is not ashamed to "take in wash
ing" can easily double his navy pay
Every bluejacket is expected to KEEP
his clothes clean and is supposed tt
perform the laundering himself, but
there are always men who prefer t.
pay for having the service done.
All service men are keenly interested
in athletic contests and oftentimes {
prize amounting to several Thousand
dollars is won in boat race-a purs,
being made up among the shipmate
of the competing crews. A champion
boxer is frequently enriched by severa
hundred dollars by his share of tn,
, gate receipts.
Cameras Good Investment.
The man with camera can Away
earn sufficient spending money to pa.
his expenses ashore by obtaining view
of places of interest and selling copie
to his shipmates and to magazin
writers. The bluejacket who is shrew,
enough to buy souvenirs and fame.
articles in foreign ports for the loves
price can always dispose of his stoc'
at o profit to his shipmtes, who prefe
to pay him percentage rather tina
risk being swindled by the foreig
shopkeepers.
One of the novel methods of earnin
an honest penny is for a man with
descriptive knack-usually a yoeman-
to prepare an interesting letter upo
the cruise of the ship or some of tn
strange ports visited, the honors pal
the vessel, the entertainments offere
and describing the customs of the il
habitants. These letters are manifold
ed and sold to the members of til
crew for so cents to 81 copy, an
usually cheap at that. The parents g
relatives of the sailor boy thus are keI
Informed of his adventures and exper
ences and he is relieved of a task tha
is irksome to most boys.