The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-01
OUR MEN-0F-WAR'S men
Sncle Sans Boys Who Sail the Seas
are Peerless In Their
Line.
Have Advanced Along With the
improvements in Vessels
and Material.
Tho Life Of tho Marine Apprentice and
His Experiences ~ Ho
PrOgresseA.

AIs AaxpeflGhCoR A. no
ProgresseA
While The United States vessels were lying
at anchor In Hampton roads the crows had
frequent opportunities TO visit the shore.
Their splendid appearance attracted general
attention and approval. and very properly.
The typical American man-of-war's man
has no peer. This wal the case whom our
ships depended on their sails TO rmotive
power. and on low powered, smooth bore
guns for action. In those days
the activity. strength and intel
li9encs Of our crews made them
famoua az drill men in times of peace and
ms fighters In. times of war. With the i'm
provement in vessels and war material has
como 4 decided advance In that part Of tho
personnel that lives before the mast. The
abolishing Of the aroR ration, good trest-
ment BY the officers and a jealous watch.
ing Of their interests by the navy depart
ment, the improvement OF the apprentice
system-all has tended to bring into the
naval service a reliable and valuable lot OF
men.
The American sailor Of to-day knows his
SSkAOss ID uOoRvAOous WASubA pIoU0S I'LL
its, must possess intelligence and technical
knowledge TO hold any but tho most subor-
dinate position, and 30 long rs his conduct
ID irreproachable has the respect and conf
dence of his Offices. That he is aware of
this is shown in every movement. Seen on
sturdy. confident and interesting. Those
who saw the skillful handling of the steam
cutters, the strokes Of the sturdy oarsme IN,
the easy. self reliant bearing of mon ashore
on liberty, know that 80 long as proper
ships and weapons are furnished the honor
Of tho nation in war a1oat can he safely
trusted to these sons OF the sen.
Forty years ago one of our fri0ates 10y at
anchor in a Mediterranean port. riding near
= British aloop-of-war. The vessels had
had met in social functions ashore and had
become very friendly. Late one night a
shore boat carried back to their respective
Q aft an English lieutenant and a Yankee
midshipman. Each had beer. visiting the
yacht club and on their wayl.to rest, their
instincts pr~edominated. Her majesty's
Officer, with an air of pride, pointed to the
trim craft and exclaimsd: There rises a ship
carrying 300 men. and all but ten are Eng
lishmen." The MILDLY was staggered for
a~neinstant-for in those days our crews
were decidedly oosmopolitan-then he said,
with an exaggerated Restute: There rides
a frigate carrying more than 500 men and
they're all Englishmenw
Such a Jest WAS more accurate, then than
It is ever likely 10 be again. Our govern
ment is slowly but surely manning our
ships with Americans. Many. IL 10 true, are
born abroad. but they must take out nat
uralization papers or there 10 no place for
them in our vessels. Besides. the humble
OF apprentices has recently been increased.
until they now apl ear on the rolls Of the
navy department in the ratio Of one to Ave
of all enlisted mon. The records at the
navy department. show that in the year
past about half of our sailora were born In
tho country. Az q whole. these mon are
probably our best sailors. though almost
every other nation in the civilized world
has sterling representatives in the list.
But foreign no n or native, seaman or
landsman. white, black or yellow, there ex-
lists among them a fellowship afising from
them firmly together aud makes disoord In
the forecnstle mess almost unknown. And
it a man by industry, sobriety and trust
worthiness gains tho respect of his officers,
race, color or previous record need not
stand in his way. Any man Of age. OF
NAV enlist as a sailor in our navy II he can
understand and speak the English lam
RuaRe. With the consent of parent or
guardian he may enlist if between IA and
II years of age as an apprentice.
Apprentices are enlisted at Newport,
where the training station il situated, on
the receiving ship Minnesota In New York,
on the steamer Michigan at Erie. Ia, on
the receiving shin Wabash in Boston. on
the Franklin at Norfolk. on the Dale In
Washington and. by special authority of
the naval department., on board tho reoeiv-
ing ship Inderendence at the Mare Island
navy yard in California. Any boy Of proper
age wishing to enlist during his minority
must be accompanied to the nearest rem
dezvous by his parents or guardian, who
nnaG hQ MANA nh IN nnoUor q 11~r lice -
questions carefully prepared to give an idea
pf the youngsters relations. education and
fitness for the form of life he wishes to
adopt.
Should the boy desire to enlist and have
no parents or guardian at han he need not
Do deterie by this fact. There are always
3 number of men living near these receiv-
ng stations who will act as guardian long
enough to start the boy in the service. In
New York there is a hard old character
vest side. He has probably acted as guar
liam for some 600 boys. He is of great as
Instance to young soamps who have read
enough in dim novels to develop in them
love for a senfaring life and acts in loco
PARENTS for a small consideration. As .
iireot result of this practice the navy de-
partment is kept busy disohsrping boys
Vho are found to BIO illegally enlisted. A
ew months often suffice to cure the runa-
way of his love for salt water. and then he
VFltes 70 MS parents. A word from them IL
|nouRh to give him his liberty. Let us fol-
ew the youth. however. who 10 regularly
inferred.
Hauing produced . proper parent, he is
AIKEN before the urReon. who assures him
eli and tho commanding of1cer of the
fendezvous that the boy ia physically quail
fed for service under the flag or pennnnt.
he boy must be sound In every part, Of
ysraRe height and weight, and must have
harp eyes. The question of sight 10 given
peciHl attention. as within six months
rom the date OF his enlistment the lives of
lundreds Of his shipmates may depend on
10 power and ACCURACY of vision,
This physical examination completed. the
(oy 10 examined to discover the sxtent of
is English education. The standard ia
OF high in this respect. and II the youth
an read and write simple phrases he 10
coepted. Then the shipping articles are
iRned. and the young man has left the pro.
bottom OF his home aud must look to his
commanding officer for suoh guidance, in
~Eruction and sympathy ne he may require.
An outfit Ia given him. consisting of four
uits of regulation uniform clothing. two
lue and two white; . mattress. two blan-
cts, two suits of underelothinR. two pairs
socks. shoes, an overcoat. etc. This out
he Ia taught BY the "scioolmastsr" OF
IL gun division TO carefully bIuah aud fold
isce BY piece and stow away in a canvass
az. Next comes his hammook; this 10
iven him and he 10 tauRht to sling and lRsh
and to stow u in the MEETINGS."