St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1898-04-23
NO CHANCE FOR BoYs ON SHIPS.
Americas Sea Captains Reluctant to
Take Them On yoynSea-


American Sea Captains Reluctant TO
I Take Them an VOyngea. II
Hardly day passes that Shipping
Commissioner 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 1s 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 10 go to sea- generally
ends the interview by assuring the
would-be sailors that he has no oppor-
stunitysfor 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 1iagain iii few days..
but 1t 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 hndso busi-
ness which will prove more lucrative
and more pleasant than sailors life.
The applications from the boys are SO
numerous that Mr.. Tolman does not
paw much attention to them nows He
seldom has chance for boys to ship on
large vessels, as no sea captain wishes
to take them. There Is sometimes o
chance for boys to go to sea In the larger
vessels which are bound on long voy-
ages for South Africa or the West Indies,
but as nearly all the vessels sailing out
Of Portland are in the eoasting trade
the shipmasters have no use for boys,
and will not take them If they can help
1t.
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: Il have
not had an American sailor on my yes
sci for so long that cannot remember
the last one They are all Norwegiang.
Danes, Germans, Nova Scotians or e. 3.
T.'s, Irishmen or other foreigners. It
seems as IL there were no American sail
ors afoat now
When Shipping Commissioners Tolman
asked this very shipmaster II he had
room on board his vessel for bright
young American boy who wanted to
learn seamanship, the master replied;
aWhy, my dear sir, what use is boy to
me? Icouldn'tafford to pay. him five dol
lars month. Ihave no use for boy on
my ship. A man who eats OF the bread
Of my owners must be able to pay for u
and his salt besides
Until some chance Is given boys to
learn seamanship on American vessels
there is little chance Of there being q
great increase in the numbers OF Ameri-
can seamen. This is recognized to be q
serious question by the navy depart
| ment, and for the purpose Of eneourag
| ing American boys to learn seamanshiT
| 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 rndiments OF seaman
ship probably explains the scarcity OF
the American sailor on board the Yanket
men O. war and In the merchant marine
Portland (Me.) Press.