The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-23
UNITED STATES APPRENTICE SHIP SABINE.

UNITED STATES APPRENTICE SHIP SABINE.
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0Doaius of the Summer Season-CruIse Of she
Sabine from New L0ndsn TO Annapolis
Practical Working Of tho System.
The United States apprentice ship Sabine about two
weeks ago lett her winter quarters at New London and
has just completed the cruise which she annually makes
from that point to Annapolis for the purpose Of pre-
sentng the ten candidates TO be selected from the ap
prcntces each year for admission at the Naval Academy
full description Of the apprentice system has already
appeared in the HERALD, bot In view OF the great inn
porance OF this experiment. and its prospective beneh
cial influence In elevatng the character Of American
ssamen, OF the practical working OF the
system may not be devoid OF interest
Ar the schooLship gets TO many OF the
features in the system 1t Is carried out while the ship
remains in port are OF course, considerably modified,
although The general end and purpose Of the scheme Is
strictly adhered The attention and time of the appren
must necessarily be mainly directed the practical
working OF the ship and the theoretical branches OF their
education allowed TO remain in allegiance. When it is
remembered that eech boy has TO fulfil the duties OF
experienced seaman 1t will be that the hours avail
asie for study comparatively limited. 1t would be
Danifesty unfair TO expect any very steady or rapid
pRogress the dull lore Of books after eight hours
Night watch, after going through some Of the moro
laborous evoluons Of the ship such going aioft TO
reef opsas making sail In addition to this the
oement and novelty of actual life atany rate during
tho earlier portion Of cruise unfit them for serious
mental application Still, 1t not be supposed that
study entirely thrown aside. table suspended by
ropes from the beams rugged up the gun deck and
morning and afternoon, unless the weather should
10 very rough, school keeps.n
RoUrISE
The daily routine Of duties at ia framed 10
spond nearly possible with that followed in winter
Snarers. At six O'Clock the revee is sounded by the
NE band, and all hands take down their hammocks
bring them deck and stow them away in the ham,
mock boxes, which along the top Of each bulwar
Tho next duty devovng upon them Is Of course break
FAST As they have finished this meal, and have
washed and polished their tin cups and plates ready
dinner the boys prepare greatest event Of
the day-nspection ct quarters Until nine O'Clock all
busily employed putting themselves and the ship
In the best possible presentable condition boy
carefully examines his apparel make that there is
no uDsghty rent in part Of it, washes his face and
hands and again until it is certain that they
perfectly clean, brushes his hair puts as the
shoeblacks say, philadelphia" polish on his boots
The ship is also thoroughly overhaued The decks are
washed and squealgeed,n all spare spars and ropes
uauskets &C. polished up to . mirror. like bright
mesa At hslEpast nine o'clock tho flies again
sound the reveiile and all hands muster in their
various sections at either side of the gun spar decks
The captain Of the section then calls the ROLL each
b reply, in addition TO his NAME giving his proper
Sion at the guns As this is completed tho boys
are ranged in single line all along the deck and the
manding officer Of each division walks slowly along and
1nspects them. Tho chaplain then reads few prayers
and the es beat retreat The morning and afternoon
until SIX O'Clock filled up with school, dinner
nsnt and supper. When the evening is fine the boys
and hndsmen, for the purpose Of closing the day 10
seamanke msnner are sent up the rigging, over the
nss.heads going up one side and descending on the
landsman, there Is really nothing very hard 70 learn
in thus scrambng up tho rasines and the danger is
quirs the art !. very short time Boys Who have only
bean enlisted month will ascend right up TO the mast.
q fear. some Of them indeed become, after = Few
months too venturous and the officers scarcely
Ssous from ns ~ P soy ana rss
fellow Of fourteen who says his greatest wish s to be
soatswsin frequently goes up to the zsu truck, then
descending head downwards along the mzcn royal
stays gets into the marmast crossrees. ascsnds the
main truck and in the same manner reaches the fore
truck. One day, when the wind blowing quite
serong, and the ship pitching considerably, Wolf
scrambled out upon tho topsal yard, and then came
bolsrope which forms the edge Of the sail OF course
he could not get grip round the rspe ana It was i'm
reaching tho dock he was summoned before the COM
handing officer who severely rcprmandcd him for hs
hammocks are pipcd down, and such OF the boys q
do nos have 70 keep watch go to sleep.
As before stated, the boys ON board tho Sabine
each required TO perform the duty Of ableb0ded
man. The crew which is usually apportioned to hfty-
gun frigate Is about i've hundred and to work the
ship manof-war fashionthat ia to say, ree6ng and
setting all the sails at once, such complement is abso
lutely necessary On the Sabine there fifty
perienced seamen, fifty landsmen and about fifty
sdIers,~ the stewards, cooks, carpenters, SCHOOL,
master and all others actually employed on deck
are termed by the sailors The rest the
Of apprentices and the largest share Of the work
board the vessel necessarily tails TO them The more
experienced and skilled sent up into the tops, and
reef and fur the sails well and efficiently the regu
lar seamen. They are used in all tho evoutions Of the
ship, rcenng topsas making and setting SAIL lacking
and wearing and In fact they alone and by themselves
have to work the ship Certainly, better illustration
tenn the prospective value Of those boys officers
4 and sailors
MORALE OF THE Snip
Il Ia astonishing almost amusing in some instances,
20 see how kindly most Of the boys take to sea life.
kfter . month board their greatest ambition
seems 10 be TO successfully initiate the manners and
customs OF an old salt The way in which tnoy wear
sheir pants and caps, the facility with which they
'siing nautical slang, the roll which they throw into
their gait 10 comica beyond expression. There arc
seme boys, Of couAe, 70 whom life Is intensely
arS unassd for nautical NE are dismissed or rather
allowed 20 leave Tue majority, however, soon acquire
.snn & nosss ans ban scos ana nafa 9rsae
bread and meat and rather prefer than not sleeping
In hammock, In which h u Impossible 10 turn and
which moves With every change OF posture. In going
Gus 70 the successfui manner In which the boys
bad been taught 10 think and feei sailors very
strkingy brought out Many Of them had the misfer-
tame get ssasck- indeed Of The oldest officers
and seamen very frequently after . few months'
sojourn on land To confess TO such miserable
nnrmty a. this, was, however Impossible, and every
effort was made 70 preserve They Kept
= their work IKE spsr.ans although mus. be con
oven In the few cases where the SICKNESS could not be
disguised and where she boys In actual suffering
from violent retching they still had spirit enough left 10
plead for admission 10 the hospital the Of q
sick headache" II the end proposed by the appren-
tce system In not only 70 teach boys the details Of
manshp but also TO nstu into them love Of the craft
that end hes certainly bsen carefully and succsssuly
carried out
GENERAL scUARrERs
Although doubtless many,of the apprentices educated
sailors board the Sabine will 3on the merchant
scrvcsas soon discharged, II will evidently be great
element OF strength to the country 10 he able Of
need suddenly Increase the naval OF the
N War " i1o ed In TAX