The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-05
TRAINING FOR THE NAVY
Making Man-o' -Warsmen of Green
Country Boys at the Cob Dock,
Newly Enlisted Landsmen Driiicd
Daily in the Manual of Small
Arms. MarchingS. Boat. and Cutter
Work Great Responsibility on
The Officers Who Select Recruits

NEW YORK, Sept 4.-The cob dock in
the navy yard is the workshop and recrea-
ton ground for the many newly enlisted
landsmen who now throng the quarters of
the training ship Vermont. Here over 600
of these green country boys are drilled
each day, except Sunday in the manual of
small arms, in the marchings boat, and
cutter work, and limited practice with
dummy battery of captured Spanish guns
set up on the wharf for that purpose.
When off duty they stroll about in their
newly acquired white working suits, sf-
fecting an Indifferent air as they try to
initiate the roll CT the ''old sea dogs of
the warships, just in from some faraway
foreign station. They wear their little
white canvas hats ON the backs of their
heads, and stick the short, dd-looking
buffalo horn" pipes in their mouths at
all angles, but they never seem TO get owe,
the habit of feeling for the trousers pock-
ets. which are never there. Sometimes,
when time hangs especially heavy on their
hands, traditions Of the sea are for the
moment abandoned altogether end ball
game is started-a strange sight4in a nav,
yard while it LASTS. but that is seldom
more than few minutes, for the first bah
up is usually batted into the river.
In all there are over 500 recruits aboard
the Vermont, some 200 of them having
been enlisted as seamen, machinists, and
in other grades. Among them few col
ored men are to be found. The officers
say this is not because the negro does
not make a good sailor, but, unfortu-
nately. because he does not seem to get
along with his white comrades. There
fore his enlistment is not encouraged
These new men for the navy come 10 the
Vermont from three recruiting stations:
Albany 81 South Street. in this city, and
the tug boat Fortune, which is now do
ing the principal towns along Long ISL
and Sound The men are enlisted at the
rate of fifty a week, although four times
that number apply, and fail to pass the
examinations What the recruiting Off
GERS desire are strong. healthy, young
men, direct from the country, those who
have had no sea experience at all being
preferred. Albany, an interior town. has
been the most productive station so far
this year, while New Haven, seaport
town, has been the least so, only fifteen
men being accepted there out of ninety
FIVE who applied in one week The men
enlist for four years, at SIC month, with
the chance for promotion to the position
of petty officers; but neither landsman
nor seaman can ever be made COM
missioned officer in the United States
Navy Boys, between fifteen and seven
teen years of age, who enlist with their
parents consent, must sign an agreement
10 serve the Government until they reach
their majority but these youngsters are
never taken until the Government is as
sured the enlistment is voluntarily and
cheerful.y made. After a man is &C.
ceeted. he stays where he is ordered,
whether il be in a small room with sew
eral other recruits, or aboard boat di-
rect for the navy yard. He is not allowed
TO go home to say goodbye or even TO
pack his clothes. The Government sees
after all those details, even TO hiring an
express wagon and packing the landsman's
trunk in his former home.
On the recruiting officers who select
the new men for the navy there rests no
little responsibility. 1t is for them TO
examine each applicant for enlistment and
place him in his proper grade, or to re-
fuse candidate who is "bluffng. They
may also find former deserter who is
TRYING to re-enlist. Before he is ready
for the physical examination the seaman
candidate must pass his oral examina-
ton. given by a veteran warrant officer.
This the landsman escapes. for he is
not required to know much sea lore; but
the man who pretends to be a seaman
has an ordeal before him. After the box
ing of the compass, he is put through
cateehism of knots and spices, wheel
and sail. that would puzzle any petty
officer in the merchant marine; and If
he fails on a single quiz he usually
ships Just as a plain ordinary seaman"
After he is accepted he is taken 10 the
navy yard and given bath, and then a
brand new outfit of clothes, including a
hammock and canvas bag to carry
them in. For these purchases he is al
lowed s45
Executive officer Stewart, OF the YER
mont. said today that the present re-
cruiting service would no doubt be con-
tinued throughout the year, and that the
first squad of 500 new men would be
taken out to sea by the training ship
Dixie, which lately came in after carry
ing her first crew of geo landsmen to
Manila.
i gave $50 of the landsmen shore leave
over last Sunday" said the officer and
all but about fifteen came back. We have
no use for that fifteen, but probably half
of them Will turn up when they get
hungry. l intend to give the other half
shore leave over next Sunday. A sailor
has got 10 learn when to leave and re-
turn to ship. just as well as he has to
stay aboard her