Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-22
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wardroom therefore knows one man by
his rank. There is one other. ahOard
ship. the captain. This final authority.
however. dimes exclusively alone in his
own spacious quarters on the upper deck
and leads the lonesome life aboard
ship. The dashing captain of marines.
an officer from different service, is also
given his title, hut he is not considered
exactly d navy man.
The official visitor aboard takes his
place at the officers mess i'm the ward
room and is officer of the ship in all
that appertains to his manner of life
while aboard. He is assigned state
room in the tiers of such apartments that
open off the waTdroom. The room to
which he is assigned is some eight feet
wide and ten feet long, furnished plainly
with spacious bunk, combination dress
or and writing desk and wardrobe. and
with variously arranged chests and pack
ing places. beneath the bed and in odd
corners. There is little room for spread
ing things out but great capa city for
packing them away. This is the navy
officers home.
He is given the home furnished by his
benevolent Uncle Samuel. Whatever else
he needs to make it lvable he must pro-
vide out of his own pocket He buys his
own bedding. towels, soap and rep1en-
isheS them when they are gone. Like
wise in the mess is the officer called upon
to pay for his own food. The popular idea
that the government furnishes food Tor
1
officers mess is run exactly as might be
any other club.
Here are twenty men who are thrown
together with common desire to live
comfortably as gentlemen should. The
expense is to be borne as a common bur-
den. All are to fare alike and pay alike.
They provide a housekeeping organza-
ton with a responsible head. Provisions
are bought and paid for out of the COM
mon fund. The stewards. cooks. walters
chambermen. all are enlisted men. On
the Delaware Philippine boys regularly
enlisted, are assigned to this work. They
prepare and serve the food that the Off
GERS mess has provided for itself.
Likewise is the naval officer called upon
to buy his own uniforms and other cloth
ing He must dress we'll when wearing
citizens clothes and his uniforms must
always be immaculate. He must main
tain his standing aboard ship and ashore
This often makes it necessary that ne
should spend money which, as private
citizen he would not need to spend. AS
an officer he is entertained in a foreign
port He is forced to reciprocate or dis
credit his service. battleship was sent
to the coronation of King Edward Wiz.
Its officers were entertained and recipTo-
Gated in kind and went broke. battle
ship recently cruised around South Ameri-
ca and was entertained in San Diego
and Rio de Janeiro. Its officers gave par
ties aboard ship as a reciprocatlng cour-
tesv. They stood the expense. When the
fleet returned from the trip around the
world it is stated that every officer was
in debt a years salary
Yet the captains in the service get but
$500 year: commanders, 81. 500: lieu
tenant commanders, $3.50 and 5000;
lieutenants, $3.50 to $1,000; ensigns.
S1o0O and 81 AGO. The navy officer is
therefore forced to exercise good deal
of discrimination in the expenditure OF
his money to make it go around. Tie
entertainment fund, provided for the pur-
pose by other nations, but denied him, is
his greatest care.
Withal, these officers of the line live. at
their own expense, like the gentlemen
they are. They provide themselves a
table that is forced to admit an occa-