The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-27
NEW WAY OF NAMING TARS.
Landsmen to BE Enlisted md Sent ON to
Sen at Once on Wnrships.


wAsH1NGToN, June 2o-FindnR consider
able difficulty in getting sufficient mum er OF
seamen to MI the vacancies existing in tho
ships of the navy, the department has devised
n new scheme to remove the difficulty. Orders
have been sent to the receiving ships at New
York. Boston and Philadelphia to enlist 100
landsmcn of good character and in all ways
the most desirable men who can be obtained.
and as soon us shipped these men will be trans
ferred to tho vessels OF the North Atlantic
squadron. commanded by Rear Admiral Samp-
son. without regard to the authorized compile
ments Of those ships.
This body OF men. none Of whom is sup
posed to know anything about the navy and
not much about anything nautical, will re-
ceive special attention and instruction on board
the seaRong ships in order to make OF them
efficient men of wars men. Just how this plan
will work will be watched with interest.
Usually raw recruits for the navy are broken
In on board the receiving ships before being
sent to sea. but by this new plan they will DO
sent to sea first. 1t is expected that the idea
will appeal to many young men who have a de-
sire for the navy. but have heretofore been I'M
able to ship on account OF the usual surplus of
such applicants.
The great increase in the navy within tho
past year or two has caused u scarcity OF en-
listed men In certain ratings as well as an abb
sence OF the necessary number OF officers
There seems to be good supply Of petty OIL
GERS and apprentices but seamen and ordinary
seamen are scarce. There docs not seem to he
the usual number OF re-enlistments. and this
ssad by some naval officers who have given
OF the recent order that hereafter all enlist
ments are for four years instead OF three for
general service. and the doing away with
special service enllstmentS OF one year. This,
u 1S thought, temporarily discourages re-en-
listments Of men who thin four years long
time to shir for. That this will be anything
but temporary is not generally believed. al
though 1t causes some inconvenience while the
reimbursement to new conditions is going on.
Another reason for the scarcity OF available
seamen Is the number of men who are receiv-
Ing special instruction in gunnery ships and
electricity, at New York Navy Yard and else
where All these branches Of special instruc
tlon take men away from tho cruising ships.
Those branches OF Instruction have been
added to tho naval establishment or If exist:
, ipeiI before haze been largely increased and
can war. 1t is in line with the policy Of the
Navy department. to, keen the service up to
at the New York Navy Yard takes in officers
as we'll as enlisted men. and is expected to be
OF great benefit when those who are receiving
the instruction are sent to sea again and have
the duties OF caring for the many electrical
and w SO in the
tn, vessels Of the battleshp class about to be
Tho workings Of the school of electricity and
gunnery classes at Washington and on the
Runnery ship Amphitrite are such that young
man In the navy to-day is enabled practically
to choose his own course and receive vaua-
BILE instruction from the Government, which
will not only be useful to him IL he remains in
the service many years. but will be valuable to
him in civil life II he leaves the navy. Any de-
serving man Of good record may apply at any
time to be sent to one of these schools of in
sort is pretty certain to take tho applicant
where he wants to 20. This opens upa new
value to the navy and In the opinion OF those
the better class OF young men as soon as it be-
comes generally known that the navy does Of
fer such chances.
Or course the gunnery schools are useful
mainly 70 train naval Runners in the ways
able the United States Navy to maintain the
record 1t has always held for uneGualled fight
ing gun fire.