The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-04-18
BOYS IN THE NAVY.
Naval Apprentices and Their Life at
Training Station.

6O1S IN lHG NSVl.
| Naval Apprentices and Their Life at n
Training Station.
"Apprentices of the United States
Navy is the title OF an article in St.
Nicholas that is sure to be read with
attention by every boy who thinks OF
q lite ct sea as an attractive alternative
to a career on land.
Almo every boy by this time knows
Of battleships and cru sers of torpe-
does and torpedo-boats, and Of tie
gallant officers and Jolly Jack Tars who
man the ships; but it is safe to say
that there are few indeed who have
ever heard Of the young naval appren-
tice, the work which he has 10 do, and
what his chances are for the future.
It is enough at present to say that he
is al enIiste boy, who by means OF g
great deal Of drill ard training de-
ve.ops gradually into q most efficient
and useful man on board Of OH mod
ern ships. n
Although, as already stated, the
apprentice can never hope to become
a commissioned officer, there are ma ~
positions of trust and honor in the
service that are open to him, if he but
applies himself to tho tasks assigned
to him day by day, and is awake to
the opportunities that are sure to
turn up for him.
Tie boys at the training station
truly may be said to live in little
world of their own. for they dc no.
need to go outside of their own
circle to find any of the needs OF life.
At certain hours of the day they Iorm
q well regulated school iu which they
are taught all the elements OF science.
English, and mathe MATES enough
to enable them to understand thor
olg4ly and to handle iutelligently the
various fittings and armament OF &
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 seaman atoa5
ard ashore, including infantry, light
artillery, seamanship in all its forms.
both theoretical and practical the
several kinds Of signaling used in the
service, 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 fol the
apprentices to be taught, while there.
the mode of constructing o torpedo,
and the proper care and handling Of
the same.
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 regular church wor-
ship, presided over by the chaplain,
and it is a most interesting 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 cultivation
are assigned t. the choir, and they
en-. .oy 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 assem-
bic for any kind OF innocent amuse-
ment, and one OF the most popular
pa,times 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 Tight fantastic. "
It is we'll that there are some such
pleasures for the young boys, for
otherwise the hardships and discipline
Ct the service would become most
irksome.
Every spring and summer the APP
prentices are taken aboard some OF the
older vessels of the navy and are sent
abroad for q cruise, during which,
under efficient officers, they are taught
the full duties of seamen atoat. All
the theory OF seamanship and g1nnery
is then reduced to practic and the
apprenti, es are put through the evo-
lutions Of furling. reeing, and loos-
ing sail, Of abandoning ship, and OF
aiming and firing the guns on board,
antiquated though they may be.