The Detroit times., 1914-05-04
RAYMOND W. PULLMAN.

Metropolitan Bank building.
That the tackles OF the American
navy who are doing such valiant ser
vice In Mexico just
Efficiency now are the most
OF Sailors. efficient body OF
their kind in the
world Is the tribute paid by the ON
GERS in command and also by authori-
ties who have seen the men OF other
nayies at work, IL is said In Wash.
ingtOn that their Workmanship is not
equaled anywhere and that the almost
marvellous Improvement in their work
with the big guns dates from the
Spanish-American war.
The American navy is composed or
81 500 enlisted men and 3,435 officers.
The apprentice seamen at the train
ing stations, where they are received
after enlistment, are each allowed $50
for clothing and get SIG a month and
rations When they go aboard snip
they are made ordinary seamen and
receive from Sl9 10 S22 a month and
ratIons At each training station
there Is school in which the young
men are given an elementary educa-
ton, and since last January there nave
been similar schools on every ship,
the idea being TO fit the men for adj
vancement through the various grades
OF petty officer and warrant officer.
The real object of the navy is TO in
crease the general efficiency OF the
men who make the navy life career.
In addition TO all this, 500 of the
sailors are now taking courses IN cor
respondence schools. During the next
fiscal year, June. 1914, 10 June. 1915,
the federal government will distribute
among the men $4,000 in money,
badges and trophies TOR experiences in
gun practice. For years the navy has
given prizes for rifle practice and
small arm practice, but 1t was not UNI
til after the Spanish war that prizes
were awarded for efficiency in great
gun craftsmanship.
I According to the officers. OIL the
navy, the efficieney OF the neR with
the monster guns has increased 1000
per ceEe siace 1898. The contests
which are held yearly involve ship
against ship, and the turret crew that
makes the best record in the, fleet at
target practice receives substantial re,
wards for eXcehency in gunnery Ia
addition. the men wear upon their
uniforms the letteE-"E," which is also
painted upon the turret, on the guns
and during steaming exercises on the
smoke pipe OF the winning ship The
men are said TO be exceedingly proud
OF such an honor and are the envy
OF the men on all the other ships.
The testimony OF the officers OF the
navy before the house naval commit
tee showed that in their opinion the
navy has, for several years been get
ting a better class of men than for
merly, and that the men seem 10 be
much more satisfied with their treat
ment In the year 1908 the assertions
amounted 70 nine per cent OF the
number enlisted and now ii is but
three and three-quarters per cent.
The percentage or men re-enlisting in
1913 was 35, which is the greatest In
the history OF the navy.
| The navy Is being recruited at the
| rate OF 1900 men a month. II was
frequently said IN the past that men
joined the navy because they We're
out of work, but this has been dis.
proved by records kept by the OIL
GERS. Every man who enters the ser
vice is asked why he wants to enlist
and from the answers given during
the last few months most OF them
gave as their reason the opportunity
for foreign travel The next reason
given was that they Joined upon the
recommendation OF friends in the
navy. The third reason was TO learn
trade, and the reason given by the
fewest. 31S out OF 1881, was because
they were out OF work.