Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-12-26

as this. Why, even my officers are
foreigners. The government ought to
do something to get the Yankee boys
to sea-"
Would you send son of your own
to sea?"
We'll, wouldn't /, That is, if he
wanted to go. There's no use trying
to make sailor of boy unless he
loves the sea and bankers after it.
If he does. his chances will be just as
good at sea as they would be on land.
and he'll be - healthier and hap
pier than if he were selling ribbon be-
hind counter or getting roundshould-
cred over an Office desk"
But we have so few ships"
ships enough. Ships enough for
Yankee boys, if the boys would only
come along, and the companies would
see the advantage in shipping lot of
boys as the English do, and training
them. I'd put boy of mine on a sail
ing vessel, one of the California boats
or the Standard Oil Australia boats
or West India schooner or, IL nothing
better offered, on one of the lon2-shore
schooners. If he went on a coasting
vessel with short trips he could learn
| the business and show his metal, and
then, If he was any good, he'd have
no difficulty in getting berth on one
of the few big sailing vessels. Then,
| after he had made himself a good, all
| round, able seaman, he could branch
off into steamer service, and it would
be his own fault if he didn't work into
a second mates shoes and climb in
them.
1T isn't bad thing to be captain
of boat in a good coast line. Now,
| there's an old pal of mine We were
| on a whaler together a 100 years ago,
more or less. He's captain of a good
steamboat. He has q six days run
and five days in port. He gets $3.50 a
month and all his expenses, and he
has blamed little to do except in case
of some unexpected emergency Some
men get more money. Some get less
but the pay is better all along the line
| than for the same amount of work on
| land and the life is big sight more
natural and free and happy. You don't
lay up a fortune unless you save
money and invest it well; but how big
| a percentage of the men on shore do
that. and what sort of lives do the
land lubbers live? Yes, sir. MY son
| could go to sea, with my blessing.
III tell you another opportunity our
sailors have got now,'' the captain
went on. Il don't think much of the
job myself, but it's soft enough. Amer
leans are going in for yachting more
every year, and they'll keep it up, now
they've started. Most of their crews
are foreigners, but they want Ameri-
can captains and mates. and they pay
well. I've friend who has been mas
ter of a big yacht for several years.
He gets $4,000 a year and mis- keep.
and the yacht is in commission only
about five months of the year. The
rest of the time she's in harbor. and
the skipper lives in the port and looks
after her.
There's whole colonies of Yacht
shippers and mates in some harbors
during the winter season, with moth
ing to do but draw their wages and
keep an eye on their boats. Even on
the small sailboats, if the owner goes
in for racing, he wants a good man
and will pay fancy price for the
right sort. Yacht work spoils q man
for other sailing work. though. It's
too soft snap. The ordinary man
isn't good for anything else after he's
had dose of it,"
Doesn't the navy appeal to our
boys more than the ordinary sailors
life?" asked the reporter.
'Yes, the navy snaps up the few
boys who do want to go to sea. The
idea of fighting catches them. | say
it's a pity. There's mighty little
chance to climb in the navy, unless
you go in with an Annapolis billet.
They make an awful row over Samp-
sons saying that the navy can't get
its officers from the foc'sle, but he
only said what all the rest think. It's
an easy enough berth, a place in the
navy is, but there isn't any future in 1t
for the ordinary seaman. New York
Sun.