Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-29
MERCHANT MARINE CADETS
They Are Being Trained in the Mysteries
of Modern Seamanship.
THEIR QUARTERS AND THEIR DUTIES
Obliged to Work Hard, hut They Are
Learning All the Timc-Thcir
Quarters, Though Plain,
Arc Comfortable.


specified number Of American boys in modern
seamanship on the vessels which carry ocean
mails by contract with the United States
Americans will be glad to know that it is
working excellently. 1t was provided for in
section of the bill entitled "An act to pro-
vide for ocean mail service between the
United States and foreign ports and to pro-
mote commerce." passed in 1891, which says:
"That the vessels with which the postmas-
ter general enters into contract for the trans
portaton of the United States malls shall
take as cadets or apprentices one American
born boy under 21 years of age for each 1000
tons gross register, and one for each majority
fraction thereof, these boys to be educated
in the duties of seamanship, to rank as petty
officers, and to receive such pay for their
services as may be reasonable"
This provision is being carried out on three
American steamship lines, the Red d, run
ming to Central America, the Ward line
running to the West Indies, and most i'm
portant Of all, the American line, running
between New York and Liverpool. The
American line alone on its four steamers,
the New York, the Paris, the ST. Paul and
the st. Louis, carries forty-six cadets, eleven
on each of the two first named vessels and
twelve on each of the two last named. In
cluding the cadets carried on the other two
lines there are thus provided something less
than 100 places for Amercan-born boys
who may desire to become officers on our
great steamers, and, perhaps one day, have
their share in upholding on the ocean the
glory of the American flag.
AS might have been expected this enact
ment of congress was not at first received
by the steamship companies concerned with
any great enthusiasm. They regarded 1t as
an onerous provision and prepared to COM
ply in rather spirit of protest The con-
sequence was that some trouble occurred
at the start, chiefly due to the fact that
insufficient care was shown in selecting
the boys for this service. Some boys of
rough character who behaved badly were
chosen. These boys soon left and others
were taken in their places, better judgment
being shown this time and better results
following. Now the steamship companies
have become quite reconciled to the new or
der Of things and regard the advent of the
cadets with considerable satisfaction. They
see in it an advantage for themselves and
step in the right direction as regards our
merchant marine.
One of the first points decided upon by Cap
tain Shackford, marine superintendent of the
International Navigation company, to whom,
at pier IA, North river, all applicants for
cadetships on the American line apply was
that he would as far as possible select boys
who had graduated from one of the three
school ships the St. Mary's Of New York, the
Enterprise OF Massachusetts and ehe Syracuse
of Pennsylvania, which for dozen years
have been graduating about thirty boys an
nually. Each one of these boy graduates is
thoroughly fitted for ship duties, having al
ready acquired practical knowledge of sea-
and navigation, and being therefore
well fitted TO fill the positions provided on the
great steamers. AS far as possible, Captain
Shackford makes his selections on the
recommendation Of the school ship instruc-
tors, the boys having thus held before them
as an incentive to good work that on their
graduation their diligence and success in
their duties will find practical reward in these
which practically mean an assured
future for the rest of their lives.
1t is thought that this new slim
ulus will have a most excellent in
fuence in the school ships and will soon
bring about more fxedness of purpose among
the graduates than has bsen heretofore
noted for of recent years hardly %. per
cent of the boys graduated from American
school ships have continued in marine life,
The large majority of them having been
cured Of their waywardness and rowing ten
ienciss by the severe discipline, preferring
.u abandon the sea altogether and settle
iown on land in some form Of business.
One chief reason of this general disinclnation
to follow the sea lay in the fact that the
from the school ships did not
have what they have now thanks to the
cadet ships, sure chance of advancement
% the positions of officers.
NOT ALL FROM SCHOOL SHIPS.
1t must not be supposed that Captain
Shackford limits his choice OF cadets en-
.irely to boys coming to The school ships,
On the contrary, he is willing and glad to
aks American boys who come to him well
recommended, and who possess the proper
qualifications or aptitude for life on the
sea- Already number of boys of good
ha,,a haan mr. in
'ome cases where thy have not come with !
90 lofty ideas, and not been above work.
ng hard, they have given good satisfaction
The following is a list OF the cadets who |
ailed on the st. Paul on October 80; 1t will
,e seen that several of them had no previous
ea experience:
+. II. Stackpole, Engine In Sa- |
EN-, n. H., June 27, 1875; educated at Hyde |
Park, Mass; parents living; fathers occu-
,ation, electrician; two years In school ship |
graduated September "a. 1895.
w. S. Searle, Engneer-Born in Worces- |
err Mass, March l, 1876; educated there; |
PARENTS living; fathers occupation, provision |
ealer; two and one-half years servlce in |
chool ship Enterprise; graduated April l3, |
S95
e. F. Gavagan. Engineer-Born in Bos-
on, Mass, July 21 1878; educated there; |
,arents living; fathers occupation, carpen-
er; one year in school ship Enterprise;
raduated September, 1895.
e. l.. Jennings, Engineer-Born in Cam
ridge, Mass, November 20, 1878; educated |
t Hyde Park. Mass; father, only, living;
oil merchant; two years in school
hip Enterprise; graduated September, 1895
]. II. T. Lum, Deck-Born In oxford,
,onn., February 26, 1876; educated there;
arents living; fathers occupation, foreman
( electric railway; sixteen months sea ex-
erience; never in school ship
Harry Teackle, Deck-Born in New York
'ity, October 20, 1876; educated there;
lother. only, living; eighteen months sea
experience; six months in Cuban mail steam
hip company; one year in school ship, St.
iary's did not graduate.
w. o. Earle, Deck-Born In Brooklyn,
7. Y, August 21, 1876; educated there; par
nts living; fathers occupation, plumber; one
lOnth in pilot boat No. and nine months
\ school ship st. Mary's; did not gradu-
George f. Deakyne, Deck-Born in New
astle Del, October 8, 1878; educated at
Philadelphia, Pa; mother, only, living; two
nd half years sea experience; never in
chool ship.
G. s. Duer, Deck-Born in Gloucester
ounty. Va, September 10. 1877; educated at
Md; parents both living; fath.r's
ccupation bay pilot; no sea experience.
Philip Hagalstein, Deck-Born In New
ork City, July s. 1876; educated there;
arents both living; fathers occupation,
sninnar. hal bss |