The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-24
TRAINING FORSEA WORK
METHODS or IHL NAVY AND THE
GREAT OCEAN LINES.
Can Naval Officers he Made Fully Efficient
without Such Rigorous Trail ingas
Officers on the Liners Undergo.

The lesson most plainly taught by the
occurrence of the South Carolina coast
is that after all is said in favor OF this
or that system Of supplying our navy
with officers. the one essential thing Is
10 keep the standard of actual seaman
ship-knowledge OF the sea and OF the
business Of handling a ship In all sorts
of weather-as high as possible.
it is evident that the effective officer In
the modern warship. moved by steam
and machinery. can no more be made on
shore and in school than could his prede-
cessors OF the sailing-ship era.
The actual duty required OF him will
still be performed ably or poorly. accord
ing to the degree Of his familiarity with
the emergencies that are always arising
in service on the open sea. and his readi-
ness 10 meet them. This being so, II
may be fairly doubted whether the cadet
system by which our national navy Is
provided with officers IS the best calcu-
latcd TO furnish IT with the highest type
Of trained and seasoned scamen.
one thing l. ccrtain-it is not al all like
the system by which the great CONNER
cial fleets OF the world are provided with
commanders and subordinate officers.
1t may be reasonably supposed that such
large maratime enterprises as the Cum
ard line. the North German Lloyd line,
and the other great transatlantic navi-
ration companies select their officers on
principles that are entirely sound from
the practical business standpoint.
They are. Of course, conducted with the
intention Of earning dividends, and the
higher the degree Of skill they can Sc
cure in their commanding officers the
f.a4 rnca
swiftly and safely 10 their ports, ana
the larger their share of the travelling
public's patronage. based on confidence
will be-.
we may. therefore. he sure that the
officers Of the great ocean steamships are
selected on a plan which. in the judg-
ment Of the clear-hcaded men who man
age them. secures the best actual re-
suits. Hence 1t is interesting 10 note
what that plan is
All the leading transatlantic steam
ship lines choose their officers by the
same general methods. differing in minor
details only.
The Cunard line. with its proud boast
that it has never lost a vessel nor life
I'm its long record OF Atlantic passenger
service. obtains the cream OF British
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 beginning as fourth
officer. No man can become even fourth
officer Of a Cunard liner until he has
first obtained a masters certificate from
the Board Of Trade. That certificate can
only he gained after a certain number
OF years passed I'm actual service at sea.
beginning ss AN apprentice learning
the ropes" then as an able seaman. ana
subsequently, as junior officer including
a fixed period Of service on sailing YES
SCI
No Cunard officer. therefore. can posi-
blv be without actual experience in the
handling Of a sailing ship as well as
steamship. This is not trivial point.
for II is conceded that there are some
things worth knowing about navigation
that are not learned at all on a steamship
nor nearly 50 well learned in schools
and from books as from one or two years
service on q sailing vessel.
A CAPTAIN Of one OF the North German
LLOYD steamers passed through a course
Of training which Is. perhaps, more Sc
we're than that Of a Cunard captain. IN
he starts i'm life with the purpose OF ne
coming a shpmaster the foundation Is
first laid by a good all-round educ alton.
comes "A ships boy. generally on sail
ing vessel I'm the German merchant
marine there are no apprentices. As a
ships boy the coming German shpmas-
ter begins his career literally 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 a year Of "roughng it, in the
forecastle he earns his first rating as
something more than green hand. but
still less than an able seaman. After about
two years service he is fully rated as
AN able seaman.
After serving two years more before
the mast and completing five years OF
such service in all. he can present him
self for examination for mate certificate
lie prepares for this ordeal by attending
a school Of navigation for about nine
months.
If ne passes 1t. he is given a certificate
qualifying him 10 serve as a mate on
ships Of any size or class. At this
point i'm his progress he usually serves
one year i'm the imperial navy I'm accord
ance with the military laws Of his coun-
try.
Then he must serve two years at least
as a mate before ne is eligible for sec
ond and harder examination for a mas
ter's certificate.
Having passed that. he is qualified by
law TO serve as q captain OF any GER
man vessel whose OWNERS choose TO en-
ploy him in that capacity But the