The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-04-09
ALREADY WEARY.
Twenty Boys Desert From the APP
prentice Ship dams.


SAN DIEGO, CAL, March 23.--When
the United States gunboat Adams
arrived in port on Sunday morning
it had Ito naval apprentice boys, be-
tween the ages Of Ia and Is years,
aboard, all apparently in good health
and spirits. When the roll was
called this morning but eighty-four
answered "here." At "taps" to night
four more were missing, so twenty
Of those boys are no longer in the
United States navy.
On Sunday night a number of the
boys were allowed shore liberty and
failed to return. Last evening
visiting party of officers was made
up, in response to an invitation from
officers on The Monterey. Eleven
apprentice boys were taken along
to man their launch. On the way
over stop was made at the Santa
Fe wharf for the mail. Thought
lessly one by one the officers left the
launch and strolled about the wharf,
waiting for their mail When they
returned the launch was deserted.
Every boy had taken the first OPP
portunity to Skip" and the balance
Of the voyage had to be made with
out crew. A search was instituted
but without avail, and the usual re-
ward OF $40 head is now offered
fol- the youngsters return aboard
ship. An officer who was seen ashore
this morning expressed grave doubts
as to whether they would ever be
captured.
What is the reason the boys de-
sert2" he was asked. "Don't they
get enough to eat2
"Phat's not it," replied the officer.
at is really all question OF princi-
pie. The navy is not the best place
4 Tor boys, no, indeed. In the first
place it destroys home and home in
duences, the society of mother,
sister, girl playmates, youthful
sweethearts and all the little infu-
ences that surround the home and
neighborhood-many OF them
foolish, perhaps, but sweet and
never.to- be-forgotten for all that.
Some Of the boys are sent into the
navy to reform them. But it is q
poor reform school that simply dis.
ciplines and teaches nothing higher
in life than obedience to orders
Again, some parents put their boys
into the navy to get rid OF them
Such poor lads are undoubtedly
better off aboard ship than ON land,
for however unsympathetic Uncle
Sam may seem at times he always
provides plenty Of the necessaries Of
life to the lads aboard his ships.
"But Pm moralizing too much.
The real facts are, the boys were
spoiled They we're enlisted some
four or five months ago and placed
aboard the old battle-ship Inde-
pendence in the navy yard at Mare
Island. The Independence is a
monster old line-of. battle ship,
built in 1910, with four covered
decks, and all fitted up like great
training school. Here the boys were
fed, clothed and taken care of,
materially speaking, better than
they had ever been in their lives
before.
"But from this Elysian dream
there came rude awakening. On
February 4, the Adams was ordered
to sea and the boys found them
selves under strict naval discipline,
with plenty OF work to do for the
first time in their lives. An awful
revulsion OF feeling set in, and some
OF the lads have never recovered
from the first shock, while others are
determined to stick it out. l fear,
however, that by the time Of expira-
ton of the term OF enlistment there
will be no apprentices left,"-S. r.
Call