New-York tribune., 1871-07-12


the compass &c seamanshp in all It's Details practical
and theoretca examination In artillery knowledge Of
powders-their composition, explosive force, burning
speed. and projectile power; ability to judge between
good and bad powder methods OF proving powders
the stowage Of powder in magazines, aAoa and ashore
transport OF powder classification and nomenclature OF
projectiles; acquaintance with their proper charges
knowledge of guns, gun-carrages and armorplatng
knowledge Of guDnery practice with many other topics
OF technical and intricate kind.
The lad then goes aioat on service for two three
years midshipman and then enters the Naval School
Kiel, where he studies for year year and half
at the end Of which time he presents himself for h
animation TO pass from midshpman to lieutenant This
examination the same ground as the former,
but Is much more testing. He is probed to the bottom
In navigation and seamanship including tactics. Among
the artillery subjects questioned to the parabola
In the flight Of round shot aud she'll the effects OF impact
with given materials, penetrating power OF different
projectiles the probabilities of objective points,
the details Of foreign artillery armaments. ana
the use and effects OF small arms in naval ac-
tions. In naval engineering he must have full
knowledge OF machinery including principles Of conden-
satiOn, expansion &C., and Of shipbding In all It's de-
tails He must be up in land forthcati0ns ana the man
euyers infantry force shore He must have ful
acquaintance with 1.-THE regulations affecting discipline,
and have the penal code (which Is the same as that In
force among Ithe German land troops his fingers
draughtsmanship and in the construction OF plans for
batteries and the mpromptu defense Of places. In
mathematics he has TO demonstrate familiarity with the
differentia and integral calculi. Having thus shown
himself 10 be an Admirable Crichton, he IL then
at liberty 10 wait for his vacancy as sub
lieutenant. When midshpman, he enjoys the daily pay
OF 40 cents shore aoa 65 cents extra as tabo
money He must serve years. at least, subleu-
tenant before promotion TO lieutenant but the average
from three to five years service prior to the occur
renee Of vacancy. After average service OF ABOUT
six years lieutenant, he becomes capain-eutenaht
At present this grade Is attained without any addlnona
examination but is intended to create an institution
to be called Naval High School OF similar charac-
ter with the Military Academy attendance at which, for
certain Is to be compulsory before the attainment
of the rank Of captanieutenant. As captaineuenant
the term of service may average about six years. the
next grade being commander the higher ranks are cap
tain and admiral the attainment to which is wholly de-
pendent on the occurrence Of vacancies
Promotion is without exception, by seniority it being
assumed, and surely not without cause that efficiency
secured in all by the rigorous examinations which have
to be undergone The naval service s with the excep
on tho merchant service taken it into 1t
at the beginning and still remaining, wholly an arsto
cratic one 1t the fashion to join the naval service,
and it at compulsory and the fashion to pass
good examinations in that service. 1t Is an achieve
ment the secret of which the Germans seem alone
1t the fashion with young nObemen to work, as he
who worketh that he may live. On board first rate
vessel the following is the cadre OF oihcers lst.
Captain: %. Commander; 80. Navigating Lieutenant
(who Is always captain-lieutenant, anu Is lno
senior officer next to the commanderi fh'
Gunnery Lieutenant (whO Is also senior omcer
OF the watch, and two or three junior watch
officers 1ieutenants with the quantum OF eutenants.
Under the navigating lieutenant there is no sailing mas
ter the responsible for the sailing Of the ship
and is aided by the best midshipmen on board. Sim-
larIy the gunnery lieutenant has gunner under him
but responsible for all artillery details himself. 1t is
noticeable how by the test Of seniority greater stress
seems 10 be laid upon navigation than gunnery the
same principle probably, that In cavalry regiment the
horses always objects OF greater sOctude than the
men. Every ship in the German service, even the
smallest gunboat, ia provided with detailed drawings
and sections of every foreign war ship Its weak points
are specifically stated and details given to the spots to
be aimed at with the most likelihood of disabling
tho machinery. MY word" to quote the n0lUe
remark OF an officer with whom happened to have con-
versatiOn on this tOpic My word, know the ships OF
the British fleet better than their own young officers"
And enough TO make me certain that this was no
empty boast Every ship possesses accurate and de-
tailed charts OF the naval ports OF the world and the
examination TO which officers subjected on this az
on other topics insures their acquaintance with hem
that pilots. the which OF the piteous
complaints OF the French naval officers on the farcical
northern cruise OF their feet capable, in emergency
OF being dispensed with. "LOrent is very difficult
port to make would not like TO try that without
pilot Plymouth there is not Lieutenant in the Ger
man navy who could not take ship into Plymouth in
the night time" This what naval officer quietly
told me. with whom happened TO have a talk on mari
time affairs in Berlin restaurant. and his testimony Is
confirmed from other II seems plain Germany
does not want for naval officers; her lack is Of fleet
aud of seaboard The solution Of the fleet problem is
q, Tho nj
involves questions into which DO not feel called upon
to enter.
One word about the seamen. They drawn from
the seafarng population in the same manner as the
army is from the population the term Of service
being for years There are four classes The first
class. from which the petty officers are found, comes
from naval school, the pupils of which enter as boys,
and are taught seamanshp in youth. The term OF ser
vice of this class l2 years. after which they are pro-
vaed for in various capacities in the civil service Of the
Crown in the same way long service
officers o. the army. The pay Of the rscass seaman Is
about 30 cents per day. in addition to food and clothing
IL does not seem be the custom to RETAIN while ships
are not in commission, the services OF any
save these frst-class men. At Wilhelmshaven there
are only about 200 sailors who live In barracks on Shore
and are all rst-class men, every of the word.
Some difficulty might be experienced In getting together
efficient for fleet at short warning. IL is not
sufficient 70 have good seamen, such the merchant
service would furnish 1t would seem to nonprofes-
sona that experience in the handling OF great
guns would he advantageous 1t IL not easy to see how
they can be obtained with scratch crew nor is 1t easy
IN see how II indiscrimnate and unconditional dis
charges are given when ship paid of, anything but
scratch crew can be got together on short notice. tax
ing into consideration the long absences from home OF
40 many seamen Not the least interesting question
affecting naval matters which the late war brought up
was that OF torpedoe The opinion OF those whose eA
perience Of them was largest Is not favorape 10 e
value OF fixed torpedoes 1t is impossible TO oe certain
,hat they remain stationary You never know where
tbev are was the pthy remark made to me concerning
those at the mouth OF the jade nthey 90 adrht