The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-19

|..NHr LHT. LHuLLfL
= Sb' Sssssn e a. ON nof tie s eas 81 q t Ia 'S u a. st Cd
steam frigate.
shift work gs0'Y Il viii SHp patoh up a trUeo between
onicers who. on the one hand, do not know q
throttle valvo from 4 monkey wrench, and on
between a sextant and a range Hnder-thst is.
II cXaggeration is allowable by way Of Illus
comfortable basis that was known before tho
ginning at the bonored Naval Academy; In
The frat, perhaps, is that needed to make the
training there fit the graduates. TO understand
command. The S0G CAPTAIN IN i must sni 10 a s"G @cehsn l.
cal engineer, first Of all, astonishing as that as.
sertion may seem, or else he cannot get his ship
her across tho ocean, and he must be n gunner
and a torpedo launcher in order to work HIS
ram the enemy f Is implied ii dYfi in his ability to o nsSi:
gate the ship. The Academy must turn out
men to command floating forts and not frig-
vail IN, these floating forts because they. are,
from the stem to the sternpost n mass of intri-
ing Of officers is now demanded Of the national
naval school; 1t cannot. be expected that tho
change VIII be made quickly, but y must r be
well as officers.
with this statement. but every officer knows
l ,Is,od need ed of improving the quality Of the en- 4
nsteu men. nave not tried TO elaborate q
the way. 1t is a fact not creditable TO this 70.
come ON officer. The existence Of caste in tho
navy is an inheritance from the days when
press press d Eangs alled a ships crew and marines mar hes
do away with this condition o.. affairs it Is nee,
all who would enter II, and that the graduates
go aboard ship, not as officers. but as well.edu'
'"asfftt is e eSs@t to see How SnS a bfhi IL to e increase n the ap-
preparation for tho Academy would be opposed
on the score Of economy especially such an in.
mechanics: But there is one answer ready that
tornment Is the sdssation and, @nlishtcnment
Of the people. tMofeovor, II the cadets were
appointed, as now. by the members of Congress
it is not unlikely. that the new Measure would
And as for the opposition which the present
officers might make on the ground that tie
p riplIne on 1nbp oard sbip hnS f. OF ,ns caste e. p said tSst o no
one knows better than they that education and
the breadth Of mind consequent thereon, pro.
mote rather than destroy discipline. Who, in.
deed, would be brave enough to say that a ship
manned wholly by Naval Academy graduates
ultimate popularity of this measure among the
people-as for the question as to whether the
requisite number of students could be found,
were. all graduates to begin their sea life as en-
listed men, 1t is necessary only to look at the
hosts of disappointed ones who attend these
examinations which are held at the behest Of
Congressman who have only one appointment
to give. II Is my belief, founded on long obser.
walton, and experience with apprentices as well
as country schoolboys. that this one measure
would not only fill our navy with crows in
fnitely superior to anything afoat, but 1t would
give us such a host Of trained men as would
serve to prevent war-to prevent aggression by
any foreign power-and IL would do moro than
any other measure to awaken what I may call
a nautical spirit among the people and 80 to re.