The times., 1899-06-28
RECRUITS FOR THE NAVY.
The Department Orders Unlimited
Enlistment of Sailors.

The Department Orders Unlimited
Enlistment of Sailors.
The Navy Department has instructed
the commanding officers OF all receiving
ships to recruit. until further notice, msn
without limit. A number of ships are now
lying idle awaiting crews. and provision
must be made for these vessels as early. as
possible. Under the recent naval act the
enlisted force of the Navy was increased
to more than 1900. The apprentice
strength was raised from $50 to $500. An
estimate made at the Navy Department
yesterday places the present available
number of men at 1900, inclusive OF ap-
prentices, or about 5000 short In order to
hasten the filling up of the various crew
compliments, the Navy Department has
authorized the enlistment OF an unlim-t-
ed number of landsmen of the third class.
The recruits who will come in under this
head are without sea experience. 1t is pro-
posed to instruct them on board the sea-
going ships. On first enlistment they VIII
be assigned to duties with the yeomtn,
or storekeepers. and in course of time 1t
is expected that a large percentage of
them will be advanced to deck duties.
Rear Admiral Erben is credited with
saying that he took a crew of landsmen TO
sea during the Civil War. and inside OF
one year was able with his company to
pass a frst-class inspection before crit
ical board. In his crew of 800 there were
not, it is said. more than thirty-fve
trained men-of-war's men, but the latter
number were sufficient leaven for the
whole The drain of men for the Navy
is reported to have had its effect in ship
ping circles, and it accounts for the search
ty of sailors said to exist just now at the
principal maritime ports of the United
States The naval officials say that the
inability to obtain the full quota OF sea-
men is due to the fact that nearly all
available men have been already absorbed.
The decline Of the United States maritime
trade in recent years has produced a cor
responding decline in the number Of sea-
men. The opinion is further expressed in
official circles that the Navy must, in fu-
ture, depend on its apprentice system the
same as is done in the British service.
1t has long been admitted that the best
class of men-of-war's men come from men
who have been trained from boyhood in the
Government service. A merchant seaman
who enlists in the Navy never quite ac-
customs himself to the rigid discipline.
and though he may render good service,
and generally does. he is not, as a rule,
continuous service man. The British
follow the practice OF drawing all their
seamen from the apprentices. 1t is only
in cases of emergency that merchant sea-
men are taken into the British navy. The
British apprentice. on reaching the age OF
twenty-one is given an opportunity to en-
list. If he signs to serve it is for ten
year period.
Among the ships Of the Navy which
will soon demand crews are the Hart
ford Alert, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.
and in addition, relief crews will soon be
in order for the various vessels of the
North Atlantic feet. 1t is estimated that
nearly 500 men are now needed to make
good forthcoming discharges in Admiral
SIMPSONS command Under the authority.
however, to enlist landsmen, the Navy Of
icials are hopeful that the full strength
of Se Navy will be available inside Of the
next sixty days