The record-union., 1899-03-21
BOYS IN THE NAVY.
Naval Apprentices and Their Life
at a Training Station.

"A
Navy" is the title of an article in the
"St. Nicholas" that is sure to be read
with attention by every boy who
thinks of life at sea as an attractive
alternative to career on land
Almost every boy by this time knows
of battleships and cruisers, OF torpe-
does and torpedo boats, and OF the
gallant officers and jolly Jack Tars VINO
man the ships; but it is safe TO say
that there are few indeed who nave
ever heard of the young naval appren-
tice the. work which he has TO DO, ana
what his chances are for the future.
1t is enough at present to say tnat Ne
is an enlisted boy, who by means OF a
great deal of drill and training de-
velops gradually into a most efnclenl
and useful man on board of our modern
ships.
Although. as already stated, the ap-
Fprentice can never hope to become
commissioned officer, there are many
positions Of trust and honor in the ser
vice that are open to him, if he but ap-
plies himself to the tasks assigned 10
him day by day, and is awake to the
|opportunities that are sure to turn up
for him
The boys at the training station truly
NAV be said to live in a little world of
their own, for they do not need to go
outside of their own circle to ind any
of the needs Of life. At certain hours
Of the day they form a well-regulated
school in which they are taught all the
elements of science, English and math-
ematics-enough to enable : them to
understand thoroughly and to handle
intelligently the various fittings and
armament of a modern man-of-war
Well-informed and thoroughly prac-
tical officers are stationed there to IN
struct the apprentices in all the drills
and maneuvers used by seamen afioat
and ashore, including infantry, light ar
tillery, seamanship in all its forms
both theoretical and practical-the sew
eral kinds of signaling used in the ser
vice, the handling of boats under steam,
oars. and sails, and the use of sword
and gun in the arts of fencing and of
bayonet exercise.
At Newport is the only important
torpedo station of our Government, and
it is therefore convenient for the ap-
prentices to be taught, while there, the
mode of constructing a torpedo, and the
A Chaplain in the navy is detailed
regularly for duty among the boys, and
to look after them in any way he may
think most conducive to their highest
moral improvement. Every Sunday the
boys are assembled on deck to join in
a regular church worship, presided over
by the Chaplain, and it is most in
teresting sight to see several hundred
boys Of tender age, all in the same blue.
uniform, joining heartily in the service.
Those with voices worthy of any culu-
walton are assigned to the choir, and
they enjoy this honor quite as much as
any of the several privileges that fall to
their lot. At certain other times, in the
evenings, during recreation periods,
they are permitted to assemble for any
kind Of innocent amusement, and one
OF the most popular pastimes among
them seems to be dancing.
The spacious deck is cleared, and
there, to the music of an orchestra,
formed from their own number, they
trip together the light fantastic" It
is we'll that there are some such pleas
ures for the young boys, fer otherwise
the hardships and discipline of the ser
vice would become most irksome.
Every spring and summer the ap-
prentices are taken aboard some of the
older vessels of the navy and are sent
aboard for a cruise, during Which,
under efficient officers, they are taught
the full duties of seamen af1oat All
the theory of seamanship and gunnery
lis then reduced to practice, and the ap-
prentices are put through the evolutions
of furling, reefng and looSing sail, of
abandoning ship, and of aiming and
firing the guns on board, antiquated
though they may be.