The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-11
NAVAL school.
APPRENTICES TO NE TRAIyED nv
THE PACIFIC COAST

VI
Beheot 90 Be E.tabiirhed to S.,,,. ~.
ors for the New Nsvy-Adyap,,g..,n,-
system-Amerienn lads Now In IN. s."s
WASHINGTON. Jan. 1o.-The steady dana,
for sailors to man the ships OF the new :
has made II necessary 10 establish A nev 80
ing station. Boys are to be trained her. 80
tho system followed a.. the Newport ,n,,r,s
tion. from which the majority NJ lie 49,
officers on the home feet have been furni., w
1t WAS Admiral Luce who conceived ~.
idea OF establishing a training station wbo,.
BOYS we're to be educated In primary branch.
and the duties of.nrst-class seamen before y.
ing sent before tho mast OF the old.,,,r.
friRates aud squsre-rigeed nen-of. war. whsn
steel ships made their appearance the eonr..
was changed 10 meet the requirement. OF ye.,,,.
which had no sail power but innumersbls o.
glnes. aud on which the greater portion O, ~.
crew was needed TO attend 70 the gus ra,h.,
than 10 handle the shin. The course a, Nsv.
port is now so arranged that when apprentice.
are sent from IL 10 ships Ia active con-
mission they ore fitted 10 perform Pl N.
duties Of sailors who have sailed the sea, n,
years. and know moro about the mecAaDl,n
OF the big guns. the dynamite batteries. and
the torpedoes than old tackles who scorn IN.
new-faneled appliances OF modern war vessel.
In establishing the new naval station N.
plhn II 10 phtttfn " hlttr tuhl now located At
Newport. although It will have fewer tael.
ties for a scientific course OF instruction. n.
Pacific coast has been selected as the mos,
available section for the station. and Congress,
has appropriated sufficient money With which
TO begin. For the present the training will h.
confined TO service on q ship. but later 4, Il, er.
pccted that quarters will be established ashor.
and q small institution on the lines o, tia, At
Newport will be built up. TO which all 10Y,
e~nli,ting for the navy on that coas, will b,
rent for instruction previous TO assignment
tn regular seaeoinR vessels. With few
DAYS tue old wooden cruiser Adams. which
became conspicuous a few years ago through
the action Of her commander In sailing In un.
der the guns ola German val vessel and
threatening 70 rake It fore and aft e G.rnaa
Francisco with the nret detachment ~ los
boSs for . cruise. probably as far west a,
fJrnia coast The Adams is one Of tie few
wooden vessels now left In the navy. and 10
considered admirably adapted for tho putpos
The establishment OF this training system IN
the. West is expected greatly n encourage
service nne ma ;eriAl. which heretofore has not
been available. owing TO the indis. o.i;iVl Of
s eos GepSrt to ~. e S. ,TporpG school, SSS' 6 STr9 Il. +.
cinc there Is said to-be = great desire on tie
part of boys tc enter the naval service. and,
WIZ y eAAAh az bA'bNA ~ -
ton can be given. the authorities are conf.
dent that 1ne crews can he furnished TO ey.ry
new vesee! going into commission nj the Mar
The enlisted force OF the navy at pr..en,
consists Of o $500 seamen and 1900 appr.h.
tees. and for the only time sin ce the close %,
the war fully three-fourths OF the sailors are
OF American birth and those who are no, have
either taken out naturalization papers or Ell.
pect to do 30. This Increase in the number q
Americans In. the navy Ii due 70 the ss,Ab-
nhara only American hnIa mrR taken TfS-A
boys have been found 70 make the best sailor,
in the entire service. The commanding on
part OF the crew have reported that in nearly
all instances the Sewporttrsined boys make
T SaPia bHs s e%e,ed' for SS'; such n posts be Because q
and ability to work tho most intricate paFi Of
ors. they saw. are now fast disappearing from
the naval list, and those who ten years sgo
would have been useful In passing a weather
efficient In handling the new steel ship. as
boys coming from tbs training stations. Tao
lads. and as fast as they disappear their places
viii be flled, SO far As possible. from the Nes.
For years q single vessel was all that was re-
Quired to carry the classes Of apprentices each
year TO- sea :fSr a sTmmer,s cruise: but row
Pacific side viii relieve the duties Imposed %
a much greater training station on tbs coast
than on the Pacific. for It is expected tia;
SaSsi.S and sa's s%ei iHInsry yif Eoi &c 90 Sn T shi. SIDE i'd h and
the seamsn to man the vessels will come rria-
eipally from IT. Tho Object in locating a sub
pose OF furnishing shins on that station with
competentsailormen, and. secondly. 10 relieve
around O.: across the continent fresh relay,
Of men when the terms Of those serSins 90
cihc and China fleets have heretofore DE-
pended almost entirely upon draft. OF men
as the recruiting stations at San Francisco
have been found wholly Inadequate - supr.y
the demands OF the vessels. Thousands Q.
dollars have been expended yearly TO de.Fay
the sIpe5s.s OF Transporting the men; ,,n.,.
evident that for every two or three battle sh!tt
now authorized the Government will have 10
them. The crews of such ships as the low.
and Kearsaree will each comprise nearly 500
men. while the feet of torpedo boats and TO
will call for from 50 70 300 men each. II !.
suggested that, as the.e is q decided tendency
eral provision for building up the navy. I,
would be advisable to authorize an increase in
the number of apprentices,
Tho Newport station is far ahead Of the An
napolis Academy in many branches OF is
practical work, and gives more instruction 10
with their modern miniature cruiser and one
OF the old-time callers for tho annual summer
vice OF a return to the old system OF holdiNg
out cadetshipsa at Annapolis rs prizes TO TO
two apprentice boys who make the best az.
around averages each year, and facts are cited
showing that some OF the best officers now n
the navy entered In this WY. Lieut.. South
srland tho executive officer OF the ~o'ficial yacht
Dolphin. 10 one of these, and he Is not only con:
sidered one OF the host executive officers -
the navy, but has also the record OF being tie
only apprentice boy graduating from the Naval
Academy. at the head OF his class. Congress
men. however. W Iuld probably oppose the plan,
owing to tn. tenaoity with which they guard