Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-06-27
NAUTICAL APPRENTICES.
Plenty of Good Material for seamen, bat
system Is Necessary.

Plenty of Good Material for seamen, bat
system Is Necessary.
Although seamens wages and food
were never better than they are at present,
our youngsters do not take kindly to the
sea- and most Of those who do 20, after
voyage or two, leave 1t in disgust" said
Captain Duncan MCLEAN. "The restraint
of discipline is irksome and often offensive.
Young America is too accustomed to hay
ing his own way ashore to bend TO the way
of another aaoat.
"Eyery ship must be despotism, and no
matter how kindly it may be admins
tered, the young, who have imbibed the
idea that Jack is as good as his master,
do not relish the idea Of inferioritY The
work at sea is not hard-not near as hard
as most mechanical labor-and if a.sailor
ts economical he can save more money than
be could as a mechanic.
"a single man In our coasting trade can
save at least $3.50 a year. An able seaman
In the navy can do even better than this,
and have a good time, for the work is
not hard, and even II taken sick he does not
lose any pay, but has the best of medical
attendance free.
Most Of our deep water business is In
the California and European grain trade
Our East India and China trade is carried
on by British steamers, manned Of course
by British seamen, who must follow the
sea or starve, for they have no other occu-
patton. On the other hand, most American
seamen are Jacks Of all trades and If one
thing fails, they can turn their hand to
another
Our merchant shipowners as a rule, do
not wish to be bothered with the care OF
apprentices, most Of whom, by the time
they have acquired the use of their sea
legs leave the sea
ITO man our navy we must enlarge our
apprenticeship system, for we cannot rely
on the mercantile marine IN time of peace
In popular war volunteers would come
forward fasterthan they would be required
In a very short time our navy will be
manned by men who have been trained in
our scholarships, and who regard the navy
as their home for life.
1.-THE men employed in our coastiug trade
are steady and hardy, and most Of them
have families, the responsibility Of which
keeps them on their good behavior. Many
of our fishermen, who in a very short time
make excellent sailors, belong to the British
provinces Of North America and become
citizens and settle among US.
I'VE have plenty Of good material out If
which to make seamen all we require is to
systematize it, The more scholarships we
can have the better.
"When the advantage OF a seafaring life is
better understood there will be no difficulty
in procuring an ample supply of poor,
healthy boys 10 train for it. The flogging
and starving Of other days have ceased
anoat, and if men or boys will discharge
their duty faithfully they will find life at
sea pleasant aud profitable.
"Most Of the talk about the hardships Of
life at sea is nonsense. Many an able me.
chauic suffers more hardship and priyation
looking for work than a seaman eudures in
q whole life The cowardly fear of being
drowned ought never be permitted to enter
the mind. Besides, drowning is the easiest
death man can die.
"a boy who has no higher ambition than
to be a laborer through life cannot do bet
ter than eater the navy and never leave it.
In old age he will have pension, and in
the event Of accident will be taken care of
literally,
"A law might be passed for the encour-
agement of the ambitious to present them.
selves for examination for officers at GER
tain periods but it is well known that the
navy must train its own officers, for much
of their education at present is scientific
and unknown to merchant officers. The
old yarn that most of our officers were
trained iu the merchant service before they
entered the navy will not apply in this age
of dynamite electricity and steam. BIOS
ton Herald.