Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-27

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Admiral Porter refers at length 20 the p~.....,
apprentice systen, which. he says, IL one az A..
best institutions In the Navy. It = q schoo. vhe-.
boys are trained 70 become petty ornc~rs .~.u.--
gunners and seaman Like everything else in I6s
NAVY, tnls appendage 20 the service has had en-
tinued struggle Tor existence. ana one would 500,
pose that. Instead OF the training system hel,o
o1nsaered necessity, the onncer In charge whess
whole soul Is enlisted IN the matter receiviav
some private oenent from the arproprtatlssrs
me- 70 keep anoat 30 desirable an insfnu-
ION Inc training system n not only beneficial ~
the boys by giving them practical education he
sAys out 10 l. a most admirable school for orYicrs
ou,re ~ e,s, IN the NAVY can young oncers sc
are Indispensable and which can onp H.
sesnilI "a salins vessels different sste of
walls on board steamer.
AIMING 700 HIGH.
we nave experienced much diliculty in nilihg
vacancies In our Navy. he says IRON the apprsn-
tees. owing 70 the tact that we asned too high A,
the nrst place, requiring too much from the an
prenuce BOY on his entering the service. He tnust
be OF good ancestral stock ana nov. xere ss,.s-,t
who were least lifted Tor the Nayy 10 whoss ~,
s ems. nopes Mers nela out that their sons enlist
the service. When the fallacy OF such homes -
came evident the parents never rested uutil thor
ooys were discharged from their uncOngcnial en-
ploymenL As general rule. there II a desire ID,
the part OF the officers controlling the apprsntte
squadron 20 introduce a higher education thau =
called for among the apprentices. no Teea ~.
and cipher, would be a boon that the ordinary Inv
would highly appreciate. This he could learn In
the few months ne was attached 20 the receivinc-
ship. while the study % science hal better b. "a
20 the Naval Academy, where, perhaps seauan-
slip-the lire OF the Nayy-may not be CONSIDERED
OF equal Importance.
Although the service performed In our practice
ships which sail 20 the coasts OF Europe add
through the West Indies f. not exactly that Which
Il performed In the modern ship OF war denul.d
OF sail power, yet the qualities developed by ths
service are OF the utmost value 10 the Navy On
board the latest cruisers. The oficer who oan
properly handle one OF the apprentice ships osn
safely be trusted with Tue decs OF the Largest g -
nlerce destroyer To apprentice boys who have
been trained In sailing ships the work OF a sJeaIaer
Is mere ehilds play.
now sEANES ARE MADE
''Sesmen can only be made by battling with tae
elements In the war OF 1872 when our Navy dii
such brilliant service against the powerful %
nayies, it was because we could draw upon the
best sailors In the world, our Eastern nshermeu,
whose lives were spent upon the ocean, IRE
aangers were encountered Tar greater than those
10 be met with In battle. We secured Tor our Ivy
men with hearts that were repealed by no dans =,
who grappled with the canvas In the uarka-
nights and heaviest weather. as fearless a. lhe
storm-bird which skrieked around them amid ne
terrors OF the gale They encountered waves
mountain high and had no steam u help them
battle With the enemy. II was their strength ahd
aud In that school OF seamanship were found hen
VINO could not only manage sails and masts. nut
We're the best gunners OF their time. 4 doubt a.
with all our modern science. we have better gen
hers at this day. Their seamanship was not IN
bioed on board steamships. but on the decks e
sailing vessels where these gallant spirits,
laughing danger 20 scorn, became under 4 cd
training the rnest sailors IN the world. re- fet
10 say that the grand body OF seamen who ouce
mace our ships OF war models exists no longer
aud the only chance we have OF keeping up iIe
prestige which should animate the service O. 20
retain the sailing apprentice ships which VIII &C
Navy"