Evening journal., 1899-12-05
TO TRAIN SAILORS
NEW PLAN ADOPTED TO FIT RE
CRuITS FOR THE NAVY.


CRUITS FOR THE NAVY.
Washington, Dec 5.--A new policy
has been inaugurated by the Navy De-
lparumcnt for securing capable and we'll
instructed men for the enlisted force Of
the naval service. The enlisted men Of
the navy, including all grades, have
heretofore been taken from the mer-
chant services and the apprentices
school and from men picked up any
where. who were enrolled with the rat
ing of landsmen. The landsman, as a
rule, was greenhorn and ignorant Of
lall details of life on shipboard They
were taken on men-of-war and broken
lin, sometimes after great trouble Of
item it was two or three years before
lthey were entitled to be ranked as ordi-
mary or able seamen. Coal beavers
were enlisted from all sections without
regard, as a rule to competency or sea
Experience.
Now the navy proposes taking men
without any experience on shipboard
-linstruoting themin all the details of the
lduties required of men on the largest
lshlps, and after they have become
lQualified to distribute them as seamen
or send them to the engine-room force
of regular ships as they may be re-
lQuired AS a result of the disposition
, of experienced sailors to engage in pri.
= vate work the navy is now short ovei
900 men and several hundred appren.
tees, but in the latter case little at
& tempt has been made to increase tho
force on account of the lack of suffi
cient quarters at the training sections
Tho total strength allowed by law il
I. 1880 men and $500 boys, of which
I there are now about 14500 men anC
s only 1000 boys.
j To provide in future for the enlisted
T vacancies three training ships hav
been designated on which men are Il
be instructed in sea life, and after serv
- ing a required period are expected L
be qualified for any duties on ships o
! the highest class. Attached to thi
= little fleet is the old Hartford. whic
2 has been completely rehabilitated ant
Except in appearance, has little of tn
h characteristics of Farragut's flagship
% lThis old vessel has been ordered t
o leave the Mare Island Navy Yard earl
e lin December with nearly 300 men o
z board gathered upon the Pacific slopi
IS who will be broken in as seamen, ses
le men gunncrs and men of other nav;
Y. ratings IL is q queer and strange co
lection that the Hartford has on boar
few, if any, knowing starboard frol
ar port when they enlisted. This collei
ID tion, however. has been drilled for tw
8 months, and Captain Hawley, who con
e- mands the ship, is confident that, wit
ir the assistance Of a small crew of e.
he perienced sailors. his command wi
IN bring the old ship safely to HamptC
D. Roads by April 25
n The voyage Of the Hartford will
r roundabout, including Hawaii, then'
H. across to some island in the Soul
re Pacific. TO Callao. Valparaiso, throug
I'd the Straits of Magellan and up Il
nt South American coast through Il
9Ol West Indies Few will recognize Il
IT, vessel on her arrival with modern ba
Ell terry. increased speed and ifnmen
mn spread of sail BY the time she a
bv lrives the naval officials expect the ere
he 10 be well drilled, but a few month
nv more experience viii be required at s
nv before they would be regarded as ",
Grams iit for active service Anoth
ship that has been ordered on this du
is the old corvette Lancaster. ns
-. cruising in the West Indies with
- class. The Enterprise has another ella
- on board These vessels in future a
80 10 be devoted TO the use Of the traini
7,t service. independently, however, of
~ apprentice system, which will have
~ own vessels.
~, The delay in completing the n,
"a structures at Newport, where proyisi
ba will be made for increasing the faci
lei ties for quartering apprentices. and I
les unfinished condition of the new stati
cl. established at Goat Island, San Fra
~ lcisco, have prevented the authorit
re from making active efforts to bring (
80 number of apprentices up 10 the lin
~ lallowed. At Newport barracks are J
~, ing constructed that will provide for
ce least 1 1000 boys, and on the west COZ
~ 500 will be cared for on shore, the n
nj Of the $500 being kept at sea on ira
~ ing ships. With two apprentice 81
,or tions in full operation and three ira
he ing ships engaged at all times i'm
ict lstructing men for the navy Admit
~. lCrowninshield and other officers Of I
5o navy expect no trouble in year or {
,s. in maintaining the authorized enlist
force at its full strength