The New York herald., 1875-10-23
MAKING SAILORS.
Training Young Men for the
United States Navy.
THETwO SHIPS ENGAGED IN THE WORK
How the Boys Are Drilled, Fed,
Paid and Punished.

Since the with Mexico me Clearwater asd physical
standard OF the enlisted u the rncd state. Nsvv
have gradually and steadily deseuoracd Thia lament
able state Of affairs has deeply impressed sef ugon ths
minds Of the officers of the navy and of Congress whch
has from time time valnly essayed discover ana
apply remedy 10 ihe ilis surrounding the service
Various efforts have been made bring navy ne
assistance OF native horn seamen WHOSE eucstion az
pcrience and patriotic zeal would make lhc
finest tho globe Nothing % have tccn sccom.
pishcd reward In 4 remarkable degree legislative
periments; yet those having tho good - The
service At heart have not relsxsd their -
forts, and arc now rewarded BY Congressional
approval OF scheme which promises 20 ~ sDincntly
successful in giving 70 the navy IN the future, class
OF young who will prove credit 70 the country
and honor TO thc nas under an crcumstancca Tho
system OF cnlistng boys for the purpose % IN
structng and training them for sailors IN the navy
which is now being carried out the frigato Maps
sofa, in New York Harbor, and the rteate Sabine,
Portsmouth, n H., win bc fruitful or good results
A brief account OF tho methods of nstruct,on ana
mode Of life observed voo Admiral Rowans flagship
Minnesota will possess very general Interest,"
MINNESOTA
is a magnificent frigatc Of 1000 tons burden.
armed with forty-sx heavy guns, and when fuiy
manned, carrying over COO men. Al prcsrnt her
battery is something less and her crew Is extremeiy
small she is not in cruising order and thr daiiy
routine OF duties require but q small force Enongh
scamen and landsmen board however % ala
the various classes Of boys keep the ship thc very
best condition and TO maintain that degree of ccanl
ness which is the pride ofthe navy Tho frlgAte well
adapted TO the purposes which she has assigned
Shc is large, airy and roomy. Her spar deck almost
wide Broadway, affords ample space for "drill
grounds" for the boys both in squads companies and
battaons, in small arms and with howizerS aud the
destructive Gatling guns Her gun deck is also lofty
and roomy, thoroughly ventilated and comfortably
warmed by steam heaters with abundant light and
wthal, very cosey and cheerful on this deck Is tho
boys schoolroom; their desks, which portable and
SO arranged that they may be folded up and slowed
away with their portable benches between the deck
beams overhead, being ranged either side. Clean
illness, good regimen and perfect ventilation insure
good health, and that blessing enjoyed by lads In
most gratifying degree According TO the regulations
prescribed by the Secretary OF the Navy boys
listed between the ages OF sixteen and seventeen 20
in the navy until they shall the age OF
twcnty-onc Boys between the ages Of sixteen and
seventeen years must obtain the OF their
parents guardians before cnlistng and no person
under sixteen and no dcscrter from tho naval or mill
tary service OF the United States shall be enlisted In the
naval service
CONDITIONS OF ENLISTMENT.
Before being enlisted every boy must satisfy the
Examining Board Of Officers, nrst that no OF robust
Frame intelligent OF perfectly sound and healthy con-
stitution, free from physical defects and maormaton
and not subject to ts second that ho is abo 10 read
and wrlte-n exceptional cases when the boy shows
general intelligence and is otherwise qualified no may
| be enlisted if he read write as that
may be afterward taught him; third, that he Is OF
proper age; fourth that his height and measure are
ptttrt h0tnu hoy QT els rNafu ntss
feet and inch without shoes and thirty inches
around the chest special order of the Secretary OF
the Navy is required to enlist boy not coming up
this standard Of who Is other respects
desirable Each boy must also bring with him ccrin-
cate declaration made by his parents guardians
to his ago, and also their consent in writing TO hls
entering the navy and engaging 10 serve until he shall
of Examining officers consist of the Captain line
officer and the senior medical officer Of the ship II
the boy passes satisfactorily the examination, engage
ment to serve continuously IN the service until he Is
twenty-one years Of age is read and explained him,
and If he voluntarily agrees to Its terms no signs the
agreement and enists in the presence OF wi tnesscs
Tho boys enstod second class boys the rate
of $40 so per month, with ono ration daily, worth
thirty conts While serving on the Minnesota II do
serving they may be advanced to tho rating Of nrst
boys, with increased pay, and scagong vessels
they may be rated still higher II found worthy Prefer
given to OF old sailors and soldiers When
enlisted the boys furnished with outfit OF cloth
ing which charged to their accounts the parents
may purchase the from the of the ship
No pay be allotted to parent or guardian
money be drawn from the paymaster Tor that purpose
|
debt and liberty to go shore is granted the dis
cretion OF tho commanding officer. When the boys
reach eighteen years OF age, If proficient thcy are
transferred to going vessels, and when honoraby
discharged at the expiration of the enlistment they
| cevc continuous service certificates, which entities
them to three months extra pay Of their rating 81
a month extra IL they again enlist for thrcc years
within three months from tho date Of certificate When
injured in the having contracted disease in
the line of duty they will be entitled TO the benefits Of
| pension. Except upon n medical survey through
misconduct they will not bc discharged until they
Won
! LIFE ON THE TRAINING SHIP.
Ancr having passed tho requisite examination which
physically very strict and which generally shuts
eight OF ten candidates. tho successful boys
is entered upon the ships book his OUTFIT consisting OF
undercothing, blue shirt and trousers, Shoes stock
ings, overcoat and cap. traps, &c. hammock,
mattress, blankets, &c, arc Issued to him, and the
place TO swing his hammock and his place in the
assigned to him. His life fairly begins and he
is assigned to division. At present there about
two hundred boys the Minnesota and these now
divided into four divisions two OF which are generally
their books while the other two engaged vari-
Gus exercises. About two hours each day, except
Saturday and Sunday-which TO the good boys ho-
days. when they go on shorc-arc devoted to the
denic course consisting OF reading, writing grammar,
arithmetiuc history and geography. Tho academic
| Robert Hudson, chaplain of the ship, and
most jealous, energetic and panstaking gen
| tcman whose education and experience as we'll
| ms temperament make him the very man
for tho place. These teachers TAX kon from enlisted
immediate control of the boys and by their assduty
and skill rapidly bringing their classes to the high
II added
teachers will be obtained as IL Is proposed have
teacher to each division OF nifty boys. When not
| at their studies tho boys drilled in knottng and
splicing, exercises alo with spars and Sails with great
guns, pivot guns, howitzers, Calling guns, pistols
small arms, exercising at single stick with broad
swords, boat duty stations, signals &c. In the sum-
mer they have swimming lessons at regular hours on
various days during the week In the winter they will
learn TO nt and sow sails in the sail lofts OF Navy
Yard, and on Saturdays thoy taught TO sew and
mend their own clothes. -Four afternoons in the week
they arc aloft for an hour or more, and longer if
| they do not do woll. All tho exercises outside
| the academic department are, OF course, under
the direction Of tho officers OF the ship. Tho
| captain and lieutenant OF marines, who have
an extra detail OF sergcans to aid them conduct the
small drills and the school OF the soldier and bat
taion though the line officers have their share OF the
work All these studies and exercises carried on
by tho boys In addition TO the regular routine work OF
the ship, such as scrubbng decks, polishing bright
| work washing nainl. NC. beside performing the rcg