Evening star., 1902-02-22
THE KA|SER'S M|DD|ES
German Naval Officers Re-
ceive a Thorough Training.
THEORY AND PRACTICE
GIVEN PLENTY Or HARD WORK
AT THE BEGINNING.
Differences Between Their Course and
That Pursued in Our
Navy.
Written for The Evsuius star.

Written for The I've aps star.
In the matter Of peace time naval surrem-
acy It has been a case of nip and tuck
between Germany and ourselves for some
years. with the balance now in favor of
the former, and that because of the broad
scheme covered by the German naval budget
Of two years ago. This supremacy is not
one only of material, but one likewise
Of personnel and. 10 the extent Of a greater
number Of available executive officers, the
result Is due principally TO the kaiser's sys-
tenn of naval education.
From the time of his accession to the
throne in 1sSS Emperor William showed a
lively interest in the workings of the naval
schooling of the empire; and of his
first acts looked to the saving of time by
the state in requiring wider preparatory
course on the part of the applicant. The
corollary is a shorter instructional course
at the expense Of the state and the speedier
availability Of the candidate for the duties
of an executive officer The basis of this
short cut TO utility is one Of practical work
with as little of theory as possible This
would hardly be thought characteristic of
the stGdious German. for We have been led
to believe him a profound deliver, but in the
instance OF naval education up TO the point
of executive authority he has set tradi-
tional belief TO naught. 1t must not be
thought for a moment that the young Ger
man naval officer Is shallow or superficial
he i very much 70 the contrary but his
acquisition Of deeper knowledge of the
academic sides Of his life are left TO time
and experience ana 10 those special courses
at the Naval War College after he has
earned his right to his first stripe.
Candidates for cadetships in the German
navy come from all over the empire, with
out district or sectional limits, such as we
have by right cf congrc ssional appoint
Rr.ct iron ,.,lf- haf NOV.
shall have been graduated from a college
or university pre- paratory school; that be-
ing the case they are admitted up to nine
teen years of age after passing the entrance
examination. The candidates must be In
perfect health and physically sound, not
color blind defective in speech and
with keen sight and good hearing. They
must be Of respectable parentage.
Now the basis of the young mans educa-
tion Is laid in his first years training, and
everything is done to accentuate the i'm
portance Of everything taught him in that
time.
Practical Work.
Assuming young Fritz to have passed his
entrance examination to the satisfaction of
the board of examiners and the chief of
the admiralty staff. he Is notified of his ap-
pointment and ordered to report at the
naval school at kiel. Here he and perhaps
two hundred other successful youngsters
are put through four weeks military train
ing ashore-includinc setting up exercises
-and then embarked in one of the tive
training ships. where they spend a year.
The summer IS snent generally in the home
waters Of the Baltic and the winter mont MS
In the Mediterranean and the West Indies.
The Moltke has but just left our coast on
her way back to Kiel, where she will arrive
about the list OF April. The instructional
staff of the training ships include, beside
the officers of the vessel certain civilian
specialists. The prime thing is the prac-
tical work. the youngsters being put
through every phase of II with the utmost
thoroughness. and with this practical work
is blended Just enough of theory to make
plain the rafson d'etre of things. Seaman
ship. working ship. practical navigation
gunnery and boat sailing constitute the
Curriculum.
The daily life includes turning out at
am At $50 the boys are sent aloft for ex-
ercise and to sharpen their appetites. AT
S:f5 they breakfast and at 7:45 they land
for drill. which lasts until II. From IL to
II 30 they clean arms, and at noon are
piped to dinner. After the first month the
morning Is spent in sail drill. Afternoon
instruction begins at with gun drill. fol-
lowed by boat sailing. From 3 to $50 oral
instruction Is given In seamanship prac.
tical navigation or knowledge Of duties
This years work thoroughly grounds the
board. in every phase of which he has had
to take his own part. and the greatest
stress Is laid upon knowledge of duties. AT
the end Of the year-generaly about the 1st
OF April-the training ships return to Kiel
and. after passing In the work Of the past
twelve month, the erstwhile "sea cadets
are promoted to the rank of "fahnrich cur
sea grade something akin to our former
''passed midshipman." For year they
work steadily with the officers examination
In view, the course being more theoretical
than the first year at sea. and the branches
taught are navigation. seamanship naval
tactics. ordnance, naval engineering. tor
eedo science. naval construction. natural