St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1898-03-12
NO CHANCE FOR BOYS ON SHIPS.
Sea Captains Reluctant to
Take Them ON Voyages.

American Sea Captains Reluctant to
Take Them ON Voyages.
Hardly a day passes that Shipping
Commissioners Tolman does not, have
two or three applications from boys
who want to ship as sailors. The most.
of these boys are between the ages OF Is,
and IS and have never been out OF sight
of land or seen vessel larger than
small coaster. All of these applications
are treated kindly by Mr.. Tolman, who,.
after questioning them as to their homes.
and parents, their intentions and rea-'
sons for wanting to go to sea, generally
ends the interview by assuring the
would-be sailors that he has no opper-,
tunity for them to ship at present, but
will bear them In mind and give them
the first chance that comes along. He
advises them to call again In few days,
but it is not often that the shipping
commissioned. ever hears from them
again. The boys are anxious to see
something of the world, and In nearly
every case have good homes and oppor-
tunities for entering some kind of busi-
ness which will prove more lucrative
and more pleasant than asailor's life.s :
The applications from the boysare SO
numerous that MFR. Tolman does not
pay much attention to them now. He
seldom has chance for boys to ship on
large vessels, as no sea captain wishes
to take them. There is sometimes
chance for boys to go to sea in the larger
vessels which are bound on long yoy-
ages for South Africa or the West Indies,
but as nearly all the vessels sailing out
Of Portland are in the coasting trade
the shipmasters have no use for boys,
and will not take them if they can help
it.
And yet, though the shipmasters will
not take the boys and give them an OPP
portunity OF learning seamanship, they
all complain because there are not TO
to be found more American sailors. Said
one shipmaster the other day: II have
not had an American sailor on my yes
sci for SO long that cannot remember
the last one. They are all Norwegians,
Danes, Germans, Nova Scotians or T. T..
rs, Trishmen or other foreigners. It
seems as ifthere were no American sail
ors afeat now.' g5
When Shipping Commissioner Tolman
asked this very shipmaster it he had
room on board his vessel for bright
young American boy who wanted to
learn seamanship, the master replied:
''Why, my dear sir, what useis boy to
me? couldn't afford to pay him five dol
lars month. have no use for boy on
my ship A man who eats Of the bread
Of my owners must BE able to pay for 1t
and his salt besides"
Until some chance Is given boys to
learn seamanship on American vessels
there Is little chance of there being a
/ great increase in the numbers of Ameri-
can. seamen. This is recognized to be q
serious question by; the navy depart
1nent, and for the purpose of encourag-
ing American boys to learn seamanship
the apprentice service was inaugurated.
This.is giving the navy an able corps OF
petty and warrant officers, but the en-
listed men in the navy are still mostly
foreigners; The reluctance of shipmas-
ters to take boys into their vessels and
teach them the rudiments of seaman
ship probably explains the scarcity OF
the American sailor on board the Yankee
men O. war and in the merchant marine.
Portland (Me.) Press. es