The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-05-20

naval powers. There Is one lack now
ever, which is even now severely felt.
Ships alone do not make navy; skilled
seamen are necessary, and while we
have enough to provide the nucleus or
formidable naval force, we have not
enough TO do more than respectfully man
the vessels now aioat. The necessity
for more is plainly apparent and already
the heads of the Naval Department are
said to be consulting with reference to
this end.
In this matter, we may proht by the
experience of Great Britain, Tor, while
this mighty power has the strongest
mercantile marine in the world from
which it NAV draw recruits for the navy,
IL has also training schools for Seamen,
where boys are regularly brought up to
do ship duty. The largest of these is in
the Greenwich Hospital, perhaps the
greatest institution in the world for the
benefit of aged and disabled sailors.
About 3, 900 scamen, who, from one cause
or another, are no longer a5le TO follow
their vo alton, find shelter and care
within the walls OF this hallowed inSti-
tuition: but its Enclosure also contains Il
training school, which, from the stand
point of worldly wisdom, il one of the
most valuable schools in Great Rritain.
The Greenwich Training School has
two divisions, known as the Upper
School and the Lower School While
the general purpose of both are the
same, the Upper School has Il specific
end in view-that of training officers 10
command the British vessels. Each
school has about 800 pupils Those Of
the Upper School are the sons OF officers
and are to receive training to tit them
for officers. They are nominated to the
institution on principle somewhat
similar to that prevalent in this country
with regard to our Military Academy
One hundred of these cadets arc named
by the First Lord OF the Admiralty,
and the remaining four hundred in turn
by various officials connected with the
Admiralty, with the Greenwich Hospital,
or with the training school itself. The
boys are taken at q tender age. They
must be between 10 and IL years, and or
sound physique. The scholastic qualih-
cations required are very slight, consist
ing only in an ability TO read and write,
and knowledge of arithmetic through
the first four rules. The main thing is
a sound body, it being maxim with the
officials that, while strong boy can be
made a pasSablc seaman even If unable
TO master the higher lines of study. a
wcakling is neither good on deck or at
she desk. general English training is
given, but having an especial reference
to the future life of the students
Mathematics is made speciality; gpom-
etry and astronomy are taught eXhauS-
lively, but more with regard TO practical
work than to theory. The pupils are
taught, for instance to take obServa-
tions with seXtantS, TO work out the re-
suits OF their observations. and are in
structed in practical and marine sur
veying.
The Lower School has also 500 pupils,
who are however, selected from the sons
of seaman and non'commisSioned Off
GERS, regard being had in choosing boys
for this department to the services of the
father. Indeed, with regard 10 this So
lection there is no specific rule, for when
a private seaman dies, leaving number
of helpless children, sometimes two or
three OF the number arc appointed To
the Lower School. The same physiCal
conditions are required of pupils i'm this
as in tho Upper School. but a or alter
latitude is allowed with regard to age,
for while they may be rs young rs
years those Of II and even upward, if
other conditions are complied with, are
not refused. All receive alike the clc-
ments of an English education and a
special training designed to fit them for
life on board ship, and at the age of Is
they leave the institution to enter upon
regular service on board a British man
of-war. No special qualification, as in
the Upper School, is required for admiS-
sion. and it is said that great number
of the boys taken in are unable on their
entrance to read and write. but such
pains arc taken and such is the method
of trailing that the progress made dur
ing the few years they remain is said to
be quite wonderful
The boys of the Upper School. as al
ready stated, are designed for officers.
and abundant instances have occurred
among their number Of young men de-
veloping uncommon talent More than
one youth who has not yet attained his
majority has been sent out from the
Upper School to command a whalcr, or
even merchant ship, and i'm most cases
the results of such experiments have
been entirely satisfactory. The Govern
ment offers every year number OF COM
miSSionS i'm the navy as DriZpS for DrO-