New-York tribune., 1870-01-29
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
TILE NEW.Y0RK SCHOOL-SHIP MERCURY.
HISTORY OF SCHOLARSHIPS.

and eleemosynary institutions of SowYork. In a commu'
peaton 10 the Common Council. submitted tho outline
OF plan for asylum for vagrant youths urging "lts
promising advantages to prevent psupersm and tho
commission OF crime and stating that since his duties
had led him into the penitensry, tenfod weight OF
conviction pressed upon him OF the Importance of
separate place for the reception Oh yagrant cmdren
This probably. the first suggestion OF that great
modern Institution, the Juvenile reformatory whch con-
rutes SO long q stride toward tho solution OF the
problem OF the repression Of crime Mrs, Fry OF England
John Falk of weimar, Count Adelbert Won der Reche
yolmerstein OF Rhensh Prussia, Mr. Wadzek OF Berlin
and DR. Wichern OF Hamburgh all began their abOrs In
direction subsequently to the date OF Dr. sahiorus
proposition. But the point OF greatest interest Id Ills
I Communication Is the added suggestion Oh
nautical depart In connection with the proposed u
veile asylum. lie proposed to have navigation taught
Theoretically aud general idea given OF tho practical
duties Of sailor by masts and rigging on tho ahd he
proposed further that small vessel under the command
of suitable master, should from time to time make
short sea voyages whereby there would be given 10 the
boys who showed predllecton for the opportu
nifty TO become 81 acquainted with the ordinary duties OF
sailor to qualify them for service on board any YES
| sci in the merchant marine U. g. Navy. His own
words are: ..
mead that the creates, attention he paid to raise boys for sea
service Of whu viii he 6uud bs Of the bghe value
Of 1our own sitbou Indebted Gsur aud the non will
lend N this respect establish independence apog
The Eoub have rescued o. whom 1on n,s ,s
couBtry. suI nobV colleud for its rig Us aud houor~'
After the lapse Of than half century reform
schoosp rides the waves of Newfofk harDof' and to
wisdom less than the patriotism OF the PRISON ohap
lain stands fully vadented. II Is true that thohsh
citizen OF New. York the first to suggest TINS lm
portaut measure, fingered in tho good work u other
peoples had got the start carrying out the pohey
by legislative enactnents England has successfully III
auguratcd the syselu aud scholarships now Constitute
department of her refornatory agencies III oehaii Vi
Juvenile dclnqucnts. Massachusetts, tried the system hs
an experine years but the measure mas long
since passed the experimental stage. and is now estao
| lished as "A complete succcss. The Nautical Reform
School," 1t 10 there called, Is accommodated Win TWO
ships capable OF receiving together 800 boys one OF
which II stationed at Boston, the other at New-Bedioid
Tie hole number received since the orglhzoh Oh Tue
school Is near 2OOO OF whom about half have chosen
e sea as profession Tie Nautical Reform School has
become highly popular with shpmasors One ship has
taken boys each Of i've successive voyages 10 Az
du-3D IN al 70 that tho experiment OF scholarships In
Mas achuetts may be pronounced an emnent success
Ia respect both OF primary purpose Of reforming juve'
bile dcmquens, aud ito secondary purpose Of rearing
!.ore intcl u gent and hotter class Of seamen.
| THE MERCURY
boo later I'm tho start we doubt not that the known
enterprise and energy New-York VIII soon bring her
nau, ca Of those Of and coun-
tries perha ps make 1t better than The best of thein
tor the hment OF this Important institution our
city Il indebted tho Commissioners Of Public Charities
and Correction These gentlemen last Winter Obta!ued
from The Legislature appropriation 70 make begin
ming In the WORK. They tr5t applied 10 the Genoia
Government for tho grant OF some public ship, remeni-
berg probably that all the sps eupioJod III reIora-
tory vok In England gratutou'iy supplied by the
British Government; but their application was not sue
ccs,ful Disappointed In their hope Of friendly CO.
operation this direction, they purchased III Jny ast
the snp Morcury an exuelomt vessel OF 1900 tuns bur
dcu formerly belonging to tho Havrc line OF packets
They Ettrd hcr up with all practicable dispatch for the
alton or The nautiuGl school which opened
with inmates IN September. This humber has been
svech bg acecssous since, tn now it is fully
AyIsIr TO TIE
The writer lately paid visit To the Mercury. ana
no,qed part Of day on board Ia tho absence of Capt.
steson he was pstcly received by the executive officer.
Mr. Wm H. Summers, through whose Kindness. ana that
Of the other officers ample opportunity WAS Afforded OF
the whole economy OF tho ship, and Of witness
ing tho various exercises Of the boys, both manual and
intellectual They all dressed in sailor costume,
and the greater part had bright animated expression,
and alert IN their movements aud prompt In their
obedience 10 orders One would scarcely have believed
that so many wild street Arabs" could nave been
brought such discipline In short time. The officers
chang of the ship captain an executive officer,
ID sailing master second iand third Lieutenant, u pay
master professor OF mathematics. and surgeon Of
forward officers there boatswain, masteratarins
yeonau, carpenter engineer gunner steward FIRST and
cook. and ships corpOral. Beside the above,
there are % Of the boys holding rates petty officers
viz boatswain mates, four cO1swalnS, slX captains
OF tops two captains Of forecase two captains OF after
guard four quarter gunner one sur
geons steward, aud one paymaster's steward These
positions Of trust and responsib ty and those
who hold them invested with degree OF authority
over the boys stationed in their part Of the ship As
matter OF course they are eagerly sought ana hshly
| priced ss tokens and rewards OF superior merit
The ORDER FOR A DAY.
Mt Summers gave minute detail OF the proceedings
Of day. from the piping up the piping to bed. The
boys are divided into watches tho starboard and
port AT 81 a. n the revele is beaten. hammocks are
slowed away, and the frat part OF the sarb0ard watch
are called 10 the washroom where they perform their
morning ablutons, under the superntendence or the
officer Of the deck, assisted by the ships corporal
duty; the remainder OF the boys, meanwhile. being
engaged In washing down the decks. As the first
half Of tho starboad watch have washed. the second
half are sent the wahrOOm, being relieved By their
comrades ia cleaning the decks The same rule Is OBJ
served with the port watch in their proper turn that
the cleansing OF the boys and Of the ship at the
same time the whole being finished, and decks dried
| down before breakfast.
Winter ht O'Clock, and In Summer at o'clock, the
ooors are hosed boats Lowered sails loosed and yards
crossed when the weather and other circumstances will
admit the roll of the drum II O'Clock a ml the boys
are piped TO breakfast for which meal As minutes
allowed. At 81 a.. M, the decks cleanly swept
| fore and aft The drum rolls of for
bright work, and the guns crows repair TO
their respective stations where each has particular
part that required TO Keep clean and free from
The topmen also repair TO their several stations and
burnsh metal bright work there may be in that
part the sp. All this is inspected by the officer
the deck before the boys leave their stations At $50
watch is sent the schooroom pursue their studies
TILL ll3o The other Is sent deck, where their time
employed IN receiving lessons in practical seamsnshp-