The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-21

mess standpoint. They are, of course
conducted with the intention of earning
dividends, and the higher the degree of
skill they can secure in their commanding
officers the surer their superb steamships
are to go swiftly and safely to their ports
and the larger the share of the travelling
public's patronage, based on confidence
viii be- We may, therefore, be sure that
the officers of the great ocean steamships
are selected on plan which, in the judg-
ment of the clear-headed men who manage
them, secures the best actual results.
Hence il is interesting to note what that
plan Is.
All the leading transatlantic steamship
lines choose their officers by the same gen.
eral methods, differing in regular details
only. The Cunard line, with its proud
boast that it has never lost a vessel nor
life in its long record of Atlantic pas
senger service obtains the cream or Brit
ish naval talent by strictly applying the
civil service principle in the appointment
of its officers. Every Cunard captain has
got his place by promotion, always begin
ming as fourth officer. No man can be-
come even fourth officer of Cunard liner
until he has first obtained a masters GER
tificate from the board of trade. That GER
tifcate can only be gained after 4 GER
tain number of years passed in actual
service at sea, beginning as an apprentice,
learning the ropes" then as an able sea-
man, and subsequently as junior officer,
including a fixed period of service on a
sailing vessel. No Cunard officer, there
fore, can possibly be without actual ex-
perience in the handling of a sailing ship
as well as a steamship. This is not triv-
ial point, for it Is conceded that there are
some things worth knowing about naVi-
CATION that are not learned at all on
steamship, nor nearly so well learned in
schools and from books as from one or
two years service on a sailing vessel.
A captain of one of the North German
Lloyd steamers passes through a course of
training which IS, perhaps, more severe
than that of a Cunard captain. If he
starts in life with the purpose of becoming
shpmaster, the foundation is first laid
by a good all-round education. At about
Is or IL years of age he becomes a ships
boy, generally on a sailing vessel. In the
German merchant marine there are no
apprentices. AS a ships boy the coming
German shipmaster begins his career lit
orally before the mast" has his quarters
with the common sailors, eats with them
and is treated in all respects as one of
their class After year Of ''roughing it,"
in the forecaste he earns his first rating
as something more than a green hand, but
still less than an able seaman. After
about two years more service he is fully
rated as an able seaman.
After serving two years more before the
mast ana competing nVe years of such
service In all, he can present himself for
examination for a mates certificate. He
prepares for this ordeal by attending a
school of navigation for about nine
months. II he passes II, he is given GER
tihcate qualifying him TO serve as a mate
on ships Of any size or class. At this
point in his progress he usually serves one
year In the imperial navy, in accordance
with the military laws OF his country
Then he must serve two years at least
as mate before he Is eligible for a Sec
ond and harder examination for a mas
ter's certificate. Having passed that. he
Is qualified by law to serve as a captain
| OF any German vessel whose owners
choose to employ him in that capacity
But the North German Lloyd line will
even then only engage him at the foot Of
the officers ladder in their service. He
must begin on one OF their vessels rs
fourth officer only, just as an English GER
tifcated shipmaster must begin with the
same Inferior rank In the Cunard service
/ Then he rises by seniority Of service, and
proved capaollty, step by step to the
rank Of captain.
SO Il Is with the great ocean steamship
| lines; they insist on a training that covers
from twenty to twenty-five years In all
and which begins either with the ZAP.
prentice" or the ships boy working be-
! fore the mast, before they intrust the