Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-08-12
ANNAPOLIS MD, MONDAY. AUGUST l2. 1901
NAVAL OFFICERS DISAGREE.
MERITS OF SAILING VESSELS FOR
APPRENTICES

Widely Discussed By The Leading Officer
Of The Navy Captain Chadwick Say
There Is Too Much Luxury On Modern
Steam Training Ships Captain Sigs
n bee Claims The Sailing Vessel Is DeaC
v To The Service.
Wide discussion has been precipitateC
recently throughout the naval service. ir
which some OF the most distinguished
officers have participated. over a com
munication addressed to Secretary Long
by Capt r. +. Chadwick. president Of
the War College, relative to the advisa.
uility OF insiTucung cadets and appren'
uces upon all-sail or all-sleam ships.
This discussion has taken varied
range and arouses deep interts. among
all grades. but especially among Older
officers, whose opinions seem to still
strongly incline to the sailing ship ior
practical instruction in seamanship. -
Others OF equal entry into the service
take direct divergent views and insist
that the sail has passed away and will
never be resurrected as motive power for
warships.
This class insists that the modern war
vessel is a complicated fighting piece OF
mechanism in which the "handy man
oi the old days can find no place; that
the sailor should be instructed tor the
type of ship he is to serve on and not
taught seamanship from the yard-arm
and royal of square Tigger. On the
other hand, some OF the best known oftl-
GERS OF the navy believe that those pow
ers of command, selt-Teliance, courage
and resourcefulness which were conspic-
uous char acteristics OF the old time sailor
should be in a modern sailor and the
best developed and stimulated by expert
ence with spars and sails.
There is too much luxury, one class
says, in the modern steam training ship,
and If apprentices are semitic sea in them
TOR any length OF time they become soft
ened, instead OF becoming hardened. and
fail 10 acquire the sea habit, without
which no man is a good sailor. In
Captain Chadwick's letter, which has
brought about the discussion. he goes
on record as in favor OF adhering TO the
sailing ship for the instruction OF appren-
iices. Captain Charles ID. Sigsbee, who
says he has commanded training ships,
sailing ships and steamers to the number
OF eight OF more, and was for many years
head OF the department of seamanship at
the Naval Academy. expresses opposite
views to those of Captain Chadwick and
believes that the sail is "dead to the
naval service-dead beyond resurrection.
No more is claimed by sail for training
purposes" he thinks. ethan it compelled
kind OF gymnastics best suited to
the navy"
Captain c. H. Davis, who is regarded
a. an expert on modern and naval de-
velopment. disagrees with Captain Sigs'
bee and insists that the best traits and
The best qualities required OF seamen are
produced after practical instruction o.
sail ships. Commander Barnette hold:
the same opinion and says he has never
heard Of an officer unequal to his dutie:
on modern ship because OF early train
ing on sailing vessel. Commands
Dillingham; is also an advocate OF sail
while Admiral Gibson says there is M
school like il for seamen. He does no
believe, however, in banishing the ma
chinery entirely from practice vessels
Lieutenant Commander w. L. Rodger
takes Captain Sigsbee's view of it. Com
mander Richard Wainwright, superin
tendent of the Naval Academy, indorse
the opinion OF Captain Sigsbee and say
that with ships containing modern ma
chinery, but also square rugged, the ap
prentice can gain valuable amount O
sailorizing without detracting from hi
mechanical knowledge.
Open Air Concert On Gun Club Grounds.
Prof. / Albert Loose. the sweet singer