Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-25

The candidate must be able 10 read dis
tinctly, with each eye singly, Snellen s
twenty foot test type at a distance Of
fifteen feet, and, having satisfied the eI-
amners, D-s. Wagner. Henneberger and
keeney, that he fulflls all these require
ments, he must go over the masthead to
the maintruck, 200 feet towards heaven
above the deck, without dinching and
without dizziness The medical examina-
ton is very simple. The candidate strips
to the cuticle, and his heart is sounded,
his lungs tried, his muscles and bones ex-
amined, and if Ne has never so slight a
defect his chance of remaining lSndsnan
is splendid
ONE WHO COULDN'T PASS.
The writer knows one yoUngSter who
tried for three successive springs to en-
list on the Minnesota He had never had
days Sickness since birth. was robust
strong, hearty lad, but he was rejected
each time because the examiners detected
an incipient trouble with his throat, an
enlarged bronchial tube, or something Of
that sort, not immediately troublesome,
but promising disease later In life. Uncle
sam demands physically perfect men
Boys are rejected by the examiners for
curvature OF the spine quite frequently;
for bad eyesight, enlarged veins, color
blindness, deafness, and because they are
pigeon breasted
Many Lads pass the physical e,anina-
ton, but hesitate half way up the ropes
TO the main truck, look down for an in
slant from their giddy height, and are
lost-to Uncle Sans navy. But having
successfully surmounted al obstacles,
the youngster enLists, bids farewell to
terra tirrna TIL he's voter, and becomes
an entered apprentice. He viii be sent
along with nineteen other boys il day
or two to Newport, where he goes into
training on the New Hampshire for six
months at least. He will be taught the
common English Observation-Disclosures
rowing. swimming, boxing, fencing and
sailing boats. When sufficiently ad-
vanced he viii be transferred to a cruising
training ship, and after a time again he
will be transferred to general cruising
ship Of the naval service.
The next steps TO the place Of seaman's
apprentice, second class. at S19 per month";
the first class. at 81. After this, for the
remainder OF his training cruise and till he
is tventy-one, he is eligible 10 the rating
of petty officer, such as quartermaster,
COAs"Alu, Captain OF Top or SdI4llakeT >
mate, with pay from $50 to so month.
Apprentices, according to law, have the
preference in appointments TO warrant
officers, as bOatswainS, gunners and sail
makers It must be borne in mind, how
ever, that the object Of the training sys-
tern is not 10 educate officers for the navy,
but seaman, and as there are but Il2 of
these officers only few OF the most de-
serving can hope TO reach these positions.
The apprentice will come ont sailor,
quite distinct from the military part of
the service. he cannot go to the Annapolis
school. He viii get fer better food, how
ever, than q merchant sailor. Indeed,
Uncle Sam keeps lis sailors like lords. and
the bill Of fare fox week on shipboard
includes fresh beef. salt pork, ham, canned
goods, coffee, soft bread, ship biscuit.
beans, oatmeal, cornmeal. -four, sugar
honiny and dozen other pslatable things.
snd many lsd would fare far better on
one OF Uncle Sans Een-of-war than he
ever did at home or IN the streets--New
York Evening World