The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-31
NAUTICAL APPRENTICES.
Plenty of Good Material for Seamen, br
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Plenty of Good Material for seamen, but
System Is Necessary.
Although seamen's 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 90, after
voyage or two, leave it in disgust" said
Captain Duncan MCLEAN. "The restraint
of discipline is irksome and often offensive.
Young America too accustomed to hay
Ing his own way ashore to bend to the way
ODlnother a1oat.
Every ship must be n 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 sailor
is economical he can save more money than
he could as a mechanic.
"a single man in our coasting trade can
save at least $3.50 year. An able seaman
in the navy can do even better than this,
and have good time for the work is
not hard, and even if 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 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 faster than they would be required.
In 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.
"The men employed in our coasting 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 very short time
make excellent sailors, belong to the British
provinces Of North America and become
citizens and settle amongNs.
'We have plenty of good material out of
which to make seamen; all we require is to
systematic it, The more scholarships we
can have the better.
"When the advantage of aseafaring life is
better understood there will be no difficulty
in procuring an ample supply of poor,
healthy boys to train for it. The hoggng
and starving of other days have ceased
adoat, and if men or boys will discharge
their duty faithfully they will find life at
sea pleasant and profitable.
"Most of the talk about the hardships of
life at sea is nonsense. Many an able me.
chanic suffers more hardship and privation
looking for work than a seaman endures in
a 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 laborer through life cannot do bet
ter than enter the navy and never leave it
In old age he will have pension, and il
the event of accident will be taken care O.
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 we'll known that tn,
navy must train its own officers, for mucl
of their education at present is scientific
and unknown to merchant officers. Th
old yarn that most of our officers wer
trained in the merchant service before the,
entered the navy will not apply in this ag
of dynamite, electricity and steam. "-Bos
ton Herald.