The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-01-13

TuE advantages u the naval apprenticeship sys-
ten, both to the service aud n tie buvs who avail
them seve. ~ ~ have heretofore been presented in
tho srN. recent circular upon this subject 10y
Secretary wuIps. however, presents sofne sddi-
tionsl f.rs regarding the syste m, which sre worthy
Of consderaticn. Any boy, no matter how foor or
how destitute Il influential friends, may obtnin the
post on Of n,vsl apprentice. provided only ,hst
he be Of suitable a1o-hetwecn fourteen and eigh-
teen yoars-and physicsny slihed Tor the service.
A naval apprentice In a sort ofitermolary between
"middy" sd an ordinary seaman. wfi'e he is
instructed in all the practical duties Of sailor he
also uniorgoes = thorough and systematic course "
instruction IN coumon tohool education, nsvigl-
ton and such other branches A. are essential in
Sic naval service. This training, IN connection
with tho admirable discipline ofthe navy, Is one II
the worry beet shools through which toy can PASS.
II takcs him at the age when his habits n
life are forming, and II his nsture Re not
| unc, .nmonly porvotse moulds him into true
man The system adopted for the government aud
education Of ihose boys $40 injurious and At the
same time ~ devoid Of hardness that the forma.
zion of evil hshis is hardly possible Its tendency
is TO eradicate the bad clements Of youth aud slim
ulato the better qualities 10 the highest degree and
| II this eiucston were the only gool end to be At
tanned by the system. 1t would be highly commcn-
dsble. But the benefit socriing 10 the naval scr
vice from ,h apprenticeship system In, Of course
ia most important feature. The efficiency Of the
| navy has heretoorr been greatly impaired by tho
difi ,ulty Of attaining competent searnen. Men
| who perhaps never saw . mast before the day 81
their enlistment in the naval service, have been
signed to duties requiring SIX IL and experiences aud
much Of the non-succees o. our naval expeditions
may be attributed to this4 ause. As ono instance,
the large number Of naval recruits who were en-
!. sed IN this city may We mentioned or ihe whole
thirty ,housant, one-tcnts ct FOR the duties
that they engaged to perform, and many Of them
| had never before bcon on shipboaI7l. But the Gov
ernnont could 10 no better. Experienced men
old not be got, and there WAS no Alternative but
to make tho best of It, The effect Of the system in
ques, on wall Re 10 obviate all such difficulties in
tie future. The inducements offered ~ boys by
the apprenticeship system aro not 30 dazzling A.
some others but in the end the choice will no; h
re- cited. The monthly ray y eight, nine, or ter
dollars according to the class in which the nppren
tice happens 10 10 placci-thc grade depending NJ
the degree Of advancement which the apprentice
has attained. In this city thsre lse thousand. G
boys who hy thus entering tho naval scrvc
might attain N useiulnees and Toantion b
the means who NAV otherwise fall into the chan
neis of crime which are always opcn 70 youth In
great city. The pay is more shan ample for all r,
qu reuDents the clothing is uneXeepuonabo, ~
rstion- sre plain, but II the best. and the educ,
ton. with the prospect N advancement, all max
an iniucement thst parents Ard guardians woul
do well "a consider