T HERE has never been a time in the past history of the world when the comfort of naval service was so great as at the present, nor a time of peace when the emoluments of enlisted men in all ratings were SO large; and there is no navy in the world in which the comfort and pay equal the conditions that exist in the Navy of the United States. It is also probably true that there has never in the past been a time, except during periods of actual war, when the opportunity for rapid promotion was so certain as it is now to come to bright, intelligent young men. of unskilled labor in shore life. Landsmen, on entering the naval service, receive an outfit of clothing worth $45, and go on the roll at a monthly pay of $16. They receive a ration calculated at a cash value of $.30 per day, in addition to their monthly paywhich, with the shelter and medical attendance afforded, makes a total fully equivalent to $30 per month, or $7.50 per week, shore wages; and this while being taught the rudiments of a calling. At the expiration of the period of training, which generally lasts about nine months to a year, landsmen are rated as ordinary seamen, with the pay of $19 per month. STERN VIEW OF U. S. BATTLESHIP ALABAMA. The Sailor's Pay Even in the lowest ratings, the pay of the Navy compares favorably with that Members of the engine-room force are enlisted as coal passers at $22 per month, Copyright, 1904, by The Technical World Company (523) BATTALION OF SEAMEN LANDING FROM U. S. BATTLESHIP ILLINOIS. with a ration which makes their wage equivalent to at least $36 per month shore pay, or $9 per week. When qualified for firemen, second class, their pay is raised to $30 per month, which is equivalent, approximately, to $45 per month shore wages. Chances of Promotion-Seaman Branch of the Service Service in the Navy offers opportunity for advancement in two lines. The first is that of the Seaman branch, for which the original enlistment is made either as an "apprentice" or as a "landsman." The young man who enlists in the Navy as a landsman serves nine months to a year in training, at the expiration of which he is rated as an ordinary seaman. On the completion of about a year as "ordinary seaman," he will probably be qualified for the rating of "seaman," with pay of $24 per month, together with the additions previously referred to. At this point he may take his choice among several different divisions of the work of seaman, electing to perfect himself either in the duties of quartermaster (which relate to the handling of the ship while under way), in gunnery, or in the work of the boatswain (which relates to keeping the ship clean and in good condition, handiing boats, anchor gear, etc.); or he may elect to qualify for the master-at-arms force, which is the police force of the ship. At the expiration of such a term of service as seaman as would ensure his proficiency to serve in a higher rating, he may be advanced, as vacancies occur, to be a petty officer, third class, with the pay of $30 per month. While still a seaman, he may receive an extra amount of pay of $5 per month for certain lines of service; and if he becomes an expert signal man, he will receive $1, $2, or $3 per MARINES AND SAILORS DRILLING ON AFTER-DECK OF THE KENTUCKY, U. S. Training Ship Hartford in the Distancę. ATHLETICS IN THE NAVY.-BOXING. month additional for this service, according to his expertness. The seaman, before the expiration of his first enlistment, may receive a permanent appointment as a petty officer, third class. If he re-enlists within four months, he will be given four months' pay of his last rating; and, on his second enlistment, receives an increase of $1.36 a month during the term of his second and each subsequent enlistment. At the expiration of his second enlistment, if his conduct has been uniformly good, he receives the good conduct badge, which entitles him to an increase of pay of $1.75 per month. If he so desires, upon his second enlistment, he may make application for a term of instruction in either the petty officers' school or the seaman gunner's school, where he will receive instruction which will qualify him for a further increase in rating. If he has been discharged as a petty officer, third class, he may, on re-enlistment, be rated as acting petty officer, second class; and on receiving an appointment as such, is paid at the rate of $35 per month, together with the various additional amounts to which he may be entitled. If he is rated as a gun pointer, he will receive, in addition to his regular pay, additional amounts ranging from $2 to $10 per month. This would work out for a gunner's mate, second class, upon receiving his permanent appointment at the expiration of the first year of his second enlistment, as follows: Regular pay, $35; ration, $9; if he is a heavy gun pointer, first class, $10; increase for re-enlistment, $1.36; total, $55.36, making, with the equivalent of quarters, medical attendance, etc., as good as $60 per month shore wages. WRITING LETTERS HOME. Scene on U, S. Cruiser Cleveland, petty officer, first class, the pay of which rank is $40 per month, except in the case of turret captains, who receive $50. The year following, he may be promoted to be a chief petty officer with an acting appointment paying $50 to $70 per month according to rating. At the expiration of one year, he receives a permanent appointment with pay at $70 per month. Artificer Branch of the Service For the young man who has a mechanical turn of mind, and who chooses the Artificer branch of the Navy, there number of ratings as first-class petty officer to which a young man may be promoted from an enlisted man at a lower grade, includes boilermaker; machinist, first class; coppersmith; ship-fitter; electrician; blacksmith; plumber and fitter; sailmaker's mate; carpenter's mate; water-tender; and painter. From these ratings, it is possible to secure promotion to the rating of Chief Petty Officer, as a machinist, electrician, carpenter's mate, or chief water-tender, the latter being the leading rating in the fireroom of war vessels, as chief machinist is the leading rating of enlisted men in the |