Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-03-11


Those who have crossed the Atlantic
on the vessels of the American line
have probably noticed class of young
men on board whose duties seem to
place them somewhat between the Of
hcers and the crew. They are known
as cadets. and their position is some
what similar to that of miGshipmen or
cadets in the United States navy. They
are In training to become officers of
the line, and any one of them. after
two years experience as cadet, may,
II he is able to pass the necessary ex-
animation, receive certificate enti-
Ting him to serve as fourth mate.
From this position he expects to work
up gradually in the service, and per-
haps aspires to he one day the captain
of big liner.
All these cadets are graduates of one
OF the three training ships established
by the government to educate boys
for the American merchant marine
service-the St Mary's, stationed at
New York City; the Enterprise. at
Boston, or the Saratoga, at Philadel-
phia. The places which the cadets
hold on the ocean steamers were Gre
ated for them by the postal subsidy
bill passed few years ago. This re-
qures all vessels which are subsidized
by the United States government for
carrying the mails to be offlcered by
Americans and to carry a cadet for
each 1000 tons burden. Among the
subsidized companies included under
this are the American, Clyde. Ward
and Pacific Mail lines. Although some
OF the boys who are graduated each
year from the training ships enter the
army transport service as quartermas-
ters, while few others join sailing
vessels for long cruises, wishing to
become regular deep-sea sailors, a
large proportion of those who leave
the senior class each year take service
as cadets on some OF the subsidized
vessels.
AS a class the graduates from the
scholarships are very desirable assis-
tants to the various lines. They are
never less than 1S years old, and they
range from that up to %, for they
must be between the ages of 16 and 20
when they begin the two years course
on the training ship. This course, dur
ing which they have studied all the
common-school branches, as well as
special nautical subjects, and have
made two summer cruises with practi-
cal work, has fitted them we'll for the
profession they intend to enter.
With few exceptions they are COM
petent navigators when they leave the
schoolship and enter upon their cadet
duties. They have a thorough under
standing OF dead reckoning and how to
find the latitude and longitude by the
sun, moon, planets or stars. Besides,
they have been taught the duties of
seamen, and have learned how to
manage sailing vessel, to steer, to
heave the lead. to handle boats both
under oars and sails, the rule Of the
road and all the other minor duties
of going sailor The class
which was graduated from the st.
Mary's last October included forty
four young men. all but four OF whom
Immediately took places on vessels.
On their last summers cruise the
members of this class navigated the
ship almost all the time, having been
provided with sextants and the other
necessary instruments by the COM
mander.
Upon assuming duty as a cadet. the
young man engages to do whatever is
required of him-to take the lee Wheel
carry messages for the captain, look
after the embarking or disembarking
Of passengers or freight, and any other
of the many duties on shipboard. He
may not have as much practice in ac-
tual navigation as he would like, but
he will have opportunity to keep up
his studies on that subject and to
learn much from observation, so that
when his two years service as a cadet
is ended he ought to be and usually is
able to pass his examination qualify
ing him for the new position of mate
New York Tribune.
Campaigning In Panay.