New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-21
A SCHOOL OF NAVIGATION AT NEW Or
LEANS,

1t is almost without precedent that the
second exporting city in SO great coun-
try as our own should have literally no in
terest in navigation. But little tonnage
either in ocean or river craft is owned
here, and We have few or no relative sea-
men, either in our own or in hy foreign
trade. The tendency of American COM
merce is toward the tropical and semi
tropical ports, and it must be of great inn
portance that New Orleans should organ
ize a shipping interest to conduct this
trade.
There are especial reasons why New
Orleans is the proper point for this
national and nautical organization. The
navy of the United States will be con-
stantly required to cruise in tropical
waters. The crews shipped from North
ern ports are comprised chiefly OF North
ern men, not acclimated to the tropics
While the Danes Norwegians and Amer
leans of the North make the best sailors,
there is no reason why the young men Of
the Southern States would not be equally
competent for such service.
Why then should not the United States
take some steps to make at this port a
nursery for tropical sailors as it has done
BY protective bounties to make sailors for
service in the North seas? We have no
doubt, with adequate encouragement, New
Orleans would turn out as active, cour-
ageous and enduring class Of mariners as
any other city whatever. 1t is true our
citizens have never turned their attention
to q commerce conducted by their own
ships, but we have no hesitation in say
ing that New Orleans ships and sailors
might do most of the carrying trade be-
tween the tropical countries and others
of higher Northern latitude.
As means of introducing this enter
prise we call the attention Of our citizens
and particularly Of our colleges to the
fact not hitherto adverted to, that Con-
gress at its last session passed an act to
encourage marine schools. It authorized
the Secretary of the Navy to furnish suit
able vessel OF the navy with all her apparel,
charts, books and instruments of naviga-
ton to be used TOR the benefit Of any nau-
teal school or college having nautical
branch for the instruction OF youth in
navigation, seamanship, marine engineer
ing and all matters pertaining to the proper
construction, equipment and sailing of
vessels. The law goes further and EN-
powers the President to detail proper
officers of the navy as superintendents Of,
or instructors in the schools.
Now, why should not the Governor ask
the President and the Secretary to furnish
US this ship, these instruments and these in
structors, that we may have a school at
New Orleans? There is but one tritiing
impeachment, and this may be obviated.
The act of Congress authorizes the estab-
lishment of such school ship at each or
any of the ports of New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and San
Francisco, but it omits the name of the
great Southern port of New Orleans alto
gether. How this inadvertenca occurred
we can not tell, but we trust our represen-
:atives may move such an amendment as
will allow TO our port the same advantages
| as others. In the meantime any school
or college having nautical branch,
established among us, can file its applica-
ton, and there can be no doubt but that
the law will be SO amended at once as to
grant the facilities desired.