Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-01-20

COnSt station Tor ThS1r beheht-
How Accurate Gunncrs Are Made
Most of the Apprentices Native
Born, They Constituting 90 Per
Cent-Projcct Worthy of All En-
cOuraEemcnt.
A new impetus has been given to the
naval system Of training boys to become
1.-THE men behind the guns" especially
since the Importance of good marksman-
ship was shown at Manila and Santiago
where the economy of all the money that
had been spent in teaching the young
idea how to shoot was so notably en-
phasized. Nearly all the men who sighted
the ordnance of the battleships and cruis-
ers with such telling effect that the entire
Spanish force afloat was annihilated in
two battles, each of few hours dura-
ton. had been graduated from the appren-
tice training ships. With the prospect of
an enlarged navy the necessity for drilling
memo wars men from youth to maturity
has materially increased, says a Washing
ton letter to the New York Tribune. and
the navy department has lost no time in
expanding its well-proved system to meet
the demand
Until a short time ago only two vessels
were engaged in this service, and they
were superannuated ships unfit for hostile
uses. They cruised annually from New
port to the West Indies or to the Canaries.
and came home after six months at sea
for great gun practice at Yorktown, This
year two of the new gunboats, the An
napolis and the Vicksburg. having the
spread of canvas essential in the rudi-
mentary schooling of Jack Tar. have been
added to the service on the Atlantic, ana
two ships have been fitted out ior similar
duty on the Pacific ocean. a fine training
rendezvous is also to be established in San
Francisco harbor.
This station. for which congress last
May authorized the expenditure of $780,
600, will be erected on Yerba Buena Is
land which has been transferred to the
navy for the purpose. and work will begin
at once. in accordance with plans which
were completed this week. This island
is admirably adapted for the designated
uses, lying in splendid harbor with
sufficient depth and expanse of water in
an directions to permit the free naviga-
ton of practice ships. Its hills rise three
hundred feet affording natural protection
age, and an excellent lookout for sig
mailing The building which has been
planned is unique particularly as to its
interior design, combining many of the
characteristics Of q ship. 1t Is the first
building constructed by the government
upon modern barrack principles, and the
first especially devised for training sail
ors. Externally 1t is unusually classic
for a government stru ,ture. and repre-
sents an architecture that might profit
ably be more widely used. 1t Is three
hundred feet long by sixty feet wide. its
main part containing only the immense
drill hall on the lower flour. with ham,
mock deck or gallery above extendin
the full length and width of the building.
There are wings at each end extending
rearward, one hundred feet long by sixty
feet wide arranged to provide a mess
hall. kitchen, bagroom for the boys bags
of personal effects, bathroom, lavatory.
dressing room drying room, schoolroom.
library offices, etc. The whole interior
is open directly to the roof, and there is
10 second story. except the gallery,
twelve feet wide. which extends all the
way around the drill hall. In this gallery
are the hooks from which the boys Will
swing their hammocks at night All the
appointments have been carefully studied
out. with the single view of conforming
as much as possible to the routine life
on board ship. Comfortable quarters for
the officers on duty at the station VIII
be provided in detached villas.
Can't. Francis w. Dickins, assistant
chief of the bureau of navigation, who is
in charge of the naval training system,
and who has been instrumental in bring
ing II TO its present state of high eff
cheney. has written the following succinct
men orandum on the subject for the
Tribune:
The system of training apprentices for the
navy was first established about 1867, ana the
frigate Sabine was assigned as their school
ship At that time the law permitted certain
number of these apprentices TO be sent TO the
naval academy. and the consequence was tnat
a large number Of boys from the higher walks
of life enlisted on board the Sabine to obtain
that privilege. 1t was found that TINS policy
caused much disappointment to those VINO
did not succeed in getting appointed to the ma
val academy that they would desert or use
their influence to obtain their discharge, so
much so that 1t finally broke up the system
In 1878 the system was reorganized. and YES
sells were assigned for training purposes, with
the privilege of going to the naval academy
, Up to 1881 there were several training ships
engaged in this service. That year the gov
eminent took possession OF coasters Harnor
island at Newport. Il. l., which had been
coded to the government by the State of Rhode
Island, for the use of training naval appren-
tees The cesson of that island to the gov
eminent was mainly brought about through the
strenuous exertions and advocacy of Capt F.
Il, Chadwick. At that time the training squad
ron was in command of Capt. NOW Rear Ad-
miraO s. b Luce, and the line-of battle ship
New Hampshire was assigned to the duty and
moored off the station. Unfortunately, in the
winter of 1SS9'90, owing to n fever breaking
out on board the ship. the New Hampshire
was removed and the boys were encamped on
the island Since that time they have had
their preliminary training in barracks on the
island for the first six months of their career;
and the vessels of the navy have been assigned
for practical training at sea.
At this time there are now engaged on the
Atlantic coast in training apprentices, be-
sides the Constellation stationed at Newport.
the vessels Essex. Alliance Annapolis and
Vicksburg. The Essex and the Alliance &C
commodate on board about seventy-five boys
commodate on board about one hundred and six
ty-two apprentices each. The Annapolis and
the Vicksburg accommodate on board about
seventy-fve boys each. The training Of APP
prentices for the navy Is under tho fostering
care of the bureau OF navigation. The general
policy of the system now Is to give boys, when
they enlist the first six months of their trainig
at the training station. where they are taught
to keep th..nc 'lves clean. to take care of their
clothing to be disciplined and are taught the
rudiments of seamanship on board the Constel-
iation, including lead. log and compass. In
fantry tactics, gymnastics and the usual rou-
tine on board a man-Of-war. They are given
illustrated lectures. naval history of the United
states are made familiar with geography and
such of them as not already proficient in
arithmetic are taught that branch to include
decimals. The whole tendency of this course
there is practical training, and to put the boys
in such condition as to make them fitted to go
II gt,N xx,It, hat