The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-21


have cruised in her ships and undergone drll Such
peysnrsi will Immense heet neet which could
date Of order To the discuity Of oStsinins ssamen
during the CrmeaA war, and 70 works ON Cherbourg,
may De attributed the perfection Of Engands system
What other nation is able 70 command such an imme-
date disposa6le forces None because Of improper or
gsnization In her personnel England combines her
naval strength and coast defence
The force spoken Of is only that OF prompt measures
but England has besides over four hundred thousand
seaarng who could be brought to efficiency by
Englands marine corps, force Of several thousand
well drilled men, not included In the psrsonaei alluded
to- Nevertheless, this force auxiliary most Inn
portant They are the police force Of the fleet COM
general thing, good gunners. They frequently
stationed at the guns as supernumeraries
EXAMINATION OF THE NAVAL PERSONNEL OF
ITALY.
The Italian naval recruits selected from those regis
tered in the maritime CONSUMPTION books They consist
of persons who prefer the navy the army They are
principally coasters islanders. They registered
the age of twelve They under obligation Of under.
going eighteen months service prior the conscrp
ton drawings which the age Of twenty up
10 thirty eight years in the event Of absence In Italy
every man owes service TO the government and has to
draw lots when he aans the age required by the law Of
CONSUMPTION.
The government requirement is four years active sea
service II at the end of that time voluntarily
news his enlistment he becomes entitled 10 bounty OF
After the governments acceptance of the conscrpt he
undergOes three months instruction shore in Infantry
tha. tune he is embarked on board Of the flagship Of the
department There are three maritime departments
Genoa, Naples and Ancona- Each department. has lite
flagship and depot of seamen from whence they de-
tailed for duty on board of sea-gong vessels On
board Of these depots hagships the are
instructed In gunnery, drills naval discipline, &c.
The best informed the first detailed for duty.
Italy has gunncry ship the frgate Parhenope organ
lied the same system as the Excellent. From her
selected The instruction Is Of years dura-
on; relates 70 gunnery and TO the required ordnance
information The OF the gunnery ship is selected
from the young men Of eighteen who have served in
the apprentice ships There four FIVE vessels
twelve to fifteen years of age These boys are gene
raj thing the children OF warrant petty officers They
structea in all that relates naval mannuvres gunnery,
&c They TO the rank Of masters seldom beyond
that The apprentice vessels supply the gunnery ship
The seaman gunner Italy is independent of the
drafted in the same category he receives an extra pay
italy, force is composed Of the who have
not completed their term Of services they are liable to
OF twenty thousand men, besides two regiments Of
marines Fantera di Marina.
FRANCES NAVAL PERSONNEL.
The French man their vessels with conscrpts volun-
tees, and with aspirans to commands the positions
Of officers in the merchant service. Every able
France liable to the CONSUMPTION; II he draws low
number he must abide the consequence furnish SUBJ
sute. The naval conscrpts recruits generally
those inscribed on the books Of Les ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Maritime, those who draw low numbers They inhabit
lie itord, or coast are generally fishermen. coasters
and others following the in the capacity Of seamen
boaimen, &c.
Every Frenchman who aspres to the appointment Of
an officer in the merchant service has to least
two years board OF Imperial vessel that time is
required before he can pass his final examination Con-
scquently the merchant officers of France unlike those
Of other nations are versed in gunnery naval discipline
&c, great advantage in time Of war; when an appeal
lie made to their patriotism In each chHeu DIES depar-
ment MARTINI, France has her gunnery ships, school
ships and apprentice ships. The system Of drills exer.
cisos experiments, &C. is much more perect-perhaps
too much iheorythan that Of other naval Powers But
France lacks the force OF She can, like Eng
land put forth an immediate and large force but in the
event Of defeat she would find II difficult 10 maintain
that orce her and depots could scarcely supply
the demand Napoleon this, and has strained every
nerve to encourage apprentices in the navy and
chant service TO protect the fishermen, &c Napol
has done grat deal TO increase and improve the
peronne OF France, but seamen not made In day.
In her pr'nn France is numerically much inferior TO
impaired to seamen OF the navy, the French seamen
are taught 70 throw Up temporary fortihcaons, and
shores landed on.
RUSSIAN NAVAL PERSONNEL.
Exercises instructions &C., on board Of school and
gunpey hps very much like those of France The
conscrpted. The only marked difference in
the organization Of the navy s that the Russian pero
MI is divided into divisions and subdvided into battal
ions Each battalion is composed Of 80 many ships
crews In fitting out squadron or fleet the pers nnel
Is generally selected from the same battaon--a good
idea to prevent the scattering Of ships crews but idea
which only be carried out where the sailor Is
scripted and has long term Of sarvice
PERSONNEL OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
We do not pretend to argue that the organization Of
the pe@nnel Of the United States navy is beyond i'm
provemen do intend 10 say that Il Is equal or
superior to the organizations Of Europe We know the
contrary We do say that the FIRST step In the right d.
rection been taken and should Congress acquiesco
in the honorable Secretary Of the Navys suggestions
made in bis several reports will have navy to
be proud Of
Let US go beyond Mr.. wclcs' time and see what had
bccn donc for the navy and with what result in 1888
the apprentice system established. Parents
led believe that their children would good
nautical education; that they stood fair chance Of
midshipn.ans warrant, proved worthy Of ~ Crowds
Of boys thus induced 70 enter the navy where they
found the Gunner's Daughter to welcome Their most
other advancement rave that 10 which andsmen could
aspire The apprentice system failed.
xes,ed the propre.y OF p sunncry '" .ss TSe
Plymouth was commissioned for the purpose.
BESIDES he, side battery she mounted ,n pivot
Drills exercises improvements thereon experiments OF
all sorts were carried on with The importance
the guunery ship ceased TO exist but the good done
manifest.
In Mr. wees report OF December s. 1894, he Says
'7he organization OF man-of very different from
that u merchant vessel nrst rate sailor will make
himself at home board Of ship; but the division OF
duties system Of petty officers the exercises at quarters
and In boats the discipline tho observanccs and the
Thorough and complete system Of = man fwar
known out Of naval ships" That 10 Mr. wces goes
say that In country the Of adventures
not restricted In foreign countries that
agmcnt Is given In every other calling &c. He speaks
OF the neglect Of class and Of the necessity
Of preliminary steps towards their elevation Mr. wecs
has taken the hTst step in the fitting out Of the school
sh sabine There the boys not introduced the
Gunncrs Daughter Of old but competent and intel
gent officers whose ambition In 70 educate and elevate
them 10 the dignity OF the position.
Mr.. weles advocates the promotion OF the most de-
serving apprentices 10 the Naval School He advises
that each Congressional district should be authorized
place more apprentices aboard Of the school Ship
and In lieu OF appointing at present aspirant
should be from the district and the other from the school,
ship. This Ia good adyice--an encouragement 10 the
boys 10 behave and study, and hope 10 their parents
Better sil will XIII the influence brought 10 bear to
get friends and relative IN the Naval school and dampcn
the ardor OF the eneminate boys who would shun the