The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-06-03
JAPAN'S SEA TRAINING
Naval Academy Methods De-
scribed by a Japanese Officer.
HOW THE CADETS ARE CHOSEN

sailors Recruited Among Coast
Fishermen-Features of Their Diet,
Exercises and Drill-General War
Board and It's Work.
A Japanese naval officer contributes
to the April Worlds Work an account
Of Japan's system Of naval training.
He says in part:
The secret OF the wonderful fighting
power and endurance of the men Of
the Japanese navy lies in large meas
ure in their magnificent training.
The Japanese Naval academy was
first established at Tokyo about thirty
years ago. Here Admirals Togo, KAN
imura, Dewa, Nashiba and Misu, who
are in command of his imperial maj
esty's fleets, received their first les
son in the art of wal from the corps
of British naval officers, which in
cluded Lord Douglas, who is now in
command of the British north Atlantic
squadron. In 1887 the Naval academy
was transferred to Yetashima, a pleas
ant island, admirably situated, with
an excellent harbOr and given over
clusively to naval education. Here are
numerous large and we'll appointed
buildings for the cadets, forming an
establishment larger than that at An
napolis, now under the charge Of Rear
Admiral Togo-not to be confused
with Admiral Togo in command of
the Japanese feet, an older man and
no relative of the head of the naval
school. The nearest port of any size
is Kure, a few miles away, where
there is a large naval yard. Yoko-
hama is about $50 miles away by the
sea route.
The regulations governing the adj
mission to the Japanese academy diff
fer greatly from those governing the
Annapolis academy. In the United
States a candidate for naval education
must seek either the cooperation of a
congressman or of the president, al
though it is true that the congress
men usually hold competitive exami-
nations to choose the appointee. In
Japan every subject has a chance for
a commission in the imperial navy,
and the only formality which attends
his taking an examination is to make
application to the minister Of marine.
The applicant must be at least sixteen
years of age and must pass a rigid
physical and mental examination.
The mental examination consists Of
tests in mathematics, geography,
chemistry, Japanese and foreign his
tory, physics, the Chinese and Japa-
nese languages and French and Eng
lish. 1t is ar interesting fact that
most of the applicants prefer to be
examined in English, a condition Of
affairs which indicates the wide
spread of this language, among the
people Of the Japanese empire. In the
physical. training trials (for the ply
sique plays a most important part in
the training Of the Japanese soldier
and %sailor) the applicants must under
go a severe endurance test. If the
applicant passes the required exami-
nation he is at once admitted to the
academy, where he remains for three
years, taking thorough courses in
mathematics, gunnery, torpedoes, sea-
manship and the general science Of
naval warfare. The cadets receive no
stipulated allowance, but all their ex-
penses are paid by the government.
Why is the Japanese naval officer so
hardy? is the question often asked me.
1t is because physical exercise is n
Of the most important features in the
development of the Japanese sailor,
and l might add that this is true also
Of the military training. At the Naval
academy one hour is devoted each day
to the most rigorous exercise. Exer-
cises are given to develop every mus
Gle in the body. The chest and the
shoulders are especially developed.
The general course of exercises is call
ed in Japanese judo, we'll known in
America as jiu jitsu. 1t is a form of
defense especially designed to afford
a small, slight man facility for over
coming a large and muscular oppo-
nent. 1t depends upon a knowledge of
anatomy. The skilled exponent of jiu
jitsu is able to seize a large opponent
and by swift manipulations of the op-
ponents limbs render him quite help
less, with a broken wrist, leg or
shoulder. The principle Of leverage is
brought into play for the purpose of
breaking limbs or otherwise incapaci-
tating ones antagonist. Under the
old feudal regime in Japan the no.
bles as we'll as the soldiers and sailors
fought with the sword, and sword ex-
e%rcises, too, continue to be an impor-
tant feature Of the DEVELOPMENT of
the Japanese sailor. The result of all
this physical exercise is that the men
become agile and acquire what Ameri-
cans call staying power.
After the Japanese naval cadet has
been at the academy for three years
he must pass a second mental and
physical examination. He is then sent
on a cruise for six or eight months on
a training ship as midshipman. Suisse