The Imperial Japanese Navy

Pay in the Japanese Navy is, save in one important particular (mess allowance), very much on all-fours as to system with pay in the Russian Navy. There is, in all ranks, the same distinction between shore pay and sea pay, only, unlike the Russian, the Jap is not confined inside his harbours by Nature for two-thirds of the year.

Like Russian pay, too, it varies according to the station and varying living expenses. The distinctly Japanese element—and a very democratic one to boot—is that mess allowance is the same for all ranks: an ordinary seaman, a lieutenant, and a vice-admiral all draw exactly the same sum for messing, and that the modest one of 4s. 7d. and a fraction per week—a pound a month. The idea of the Japanese Government appears to be admirable enough in theory; it has certainly the merit of simplicity.

It must be borne in mind that the cost of living in Japan is about one-third the cost of living in the same style in England, about half the cost of living in Russia, and one-fifth the cost in the United States.

Details of pay for the various ranks are as follows:—

Officers.

Naval cadets and engineer students, while at college, are allowed £5 (50 yen) a month to cover all expenses.

Midshipmen, during their year at sea, receive £3 a month.

Sub-lieutenants get from £3 5s. to £4 a month, plus a sea allowance of £1 a month and the £1 mess allowance. Altogether they draw about £70 a year, the equivalent of £200 a year in England; while, if serving abroad, their sea allowance is nearly trebled. It is said to be practically impossible for sub-lieutenants to live on their pay. A first-class sub-lieutenant draws £5 a month as ordinary pay.

Lieutenants and Equivalent Ranks.

Lieutenants draw £8 a month, plus a sea allowance of from £1 to £8 per month, according to the station. Exclusive of mess allowance, a Japanese lieutenant in England gets a little under £200 a year—more or less the same as a British naval lieutenant.

Flag, gunnery, and torpedo lieutenants draw some additional pay for these duties. Unlike British specialists, all specialist lieutenants are watch-keepers in the Japanese service.

Lieutenant-Commanders.

A lieutenant-commander is paid £10 a month, while his sea allowance varies from £2 to £12, according to the service on which he is engaged. Destroyers are lieutenant-commanders commands, and those who are captains of destroyers draw more accordingly than those serving in big ships as senior lieutenants.

Commanders.

Commanders are paid £15 a month. Sea pay ranges from £2 10s. to £10—the maximum in a big ship; but if captain of a gunboat, a commander’s sea pay may rise to £15.

Captains.

The pay of a captain is £22 a month. Sea pay runs from £3 to £16. He may also draw additions for entertaining expenses.

Rear-Admirals.

Rear-Admirals draw £29 a month, and the extra sea pay may run to £23, plus entertaining allowances.

Vice-Admirals.

Vice-admirals draw £35 per month ordinary and £30 extra sea pay. In Japan this is equivalent to over £2000 a year in comparison with life on the English scale.

Admirals.

The pay of admirals is fixed at £52 per month and £30 sea allowance.

In addition to these sources of pay, all officers on the active list in the senior ranks are eligible for extra pay—a species of good-service pensions. Meritorious conduct and medals are qualifications.

Engineers, doctors, and paymasters draw identical pay with the corresponding naval ranks, and extra pay for special duties.

Constructors are on the same footing.

The equivalents in the different branches are:—

Men.

Ordinary seamen get 7s. a month. In addition, they have a varying sea allowance. The pay of seamen ranges up to 30s. a month, plus sea allowance. Altogether the average Japanese sailor, while in England, gets about 3s. a day.

Petty Officers.

The normal pay of petty officers, according to class and length of service, runs from 17s. to £2 a month, with allowances extra.

Warrant Officers.

Warrant officers draw from £3 to £5 a month, with numerous allowances.

Allowances to the men include clothing, or money for clothing, etc.

Altogether the Japanese sailor is very well paid. In our naval ports he is looked on as something of a Crœsus. He spends his money freely, as all sailors do, and his purchases run to practically everything, from top-hats to trinkets, and heavy technical books to musical instruments. Many of them talk English, and still more are able to read it, and these are prone to buy books. It is quite a common thing for them to tender five-pound notes in payment; but further particulars of this sort will be found under the head of Personal Characteristics.

RETIREMENTS, PENSIONS, ETC.

As already stated, the retiring age (nominally) of a sub-lieutenant is 42. Other officers are retired pro rata up to 65 years of age for vice-admirals.

Officers of good conduct are promoted on retirement as a rule. Pensions vary from a minimum of £20 to £76 per annum upward in each case. In the admirals’ ranks, the minimum ranges from £105 to £150 per annum. There is no exact maximum.

Intentionally or otherwise, there is one excellent thing that obtains in the Japanese Navy. By the system of selection of captains to be admirals the “duffer officer” has little chance of blocking the way of better men. He, however, as a rule is ready to recognise his own shortcomings, and it is not at all uncommon for such officers to exhibit their patriotism by retiring to make room for those who are likely to do better than they. It is only in the Japanese Navy that this happens: and it is in very marked contrast to certain other navies.