New-York tribune., 1904-10-02
TRAINS BOYS FOR NAVY.
What Is Done at Ne7cpOrt School,
Efficient Work of DriILmaSter.

The United States Naval Training Station on
Coasters Island, Newport, be justly called
Uncle Sans finest" in fact, the finest OF its
kind in the world At least so says Captain Will
fam H BroWnson, superintendent of the Naval
Academy eft Annapolis, who has just returned
from several months official inspection of the
educational methods of Europe. He reports that
both England and Germany are now establishing
naval schools modelled after our own American
method OF training The Newport station with
its picturesque setting. high spacious parade
grounds. fits group of imposing structures. Of
fers upon first sight welcome and favorable
impression to the incoming apprentice. The
great new barracks. his future home. is hid
from view at the regular landing place and lies
at the foot Of the hin beyond on the west shore
In instructors equipment and living quarters
the government gives its best as an incentive
20 attract to the service thousands of loyal ana
resoIute young seamen whom the nation needs
TO man its ever increasing squadrons.
Tribune writer spent day there recently
until ''taps," messed and followed up with his
camera a days routine of work and play with
the battalion of four hundred boys Just how
the government treats and is building up this
varied and promising young batch of tars may
be of general interest When all the battle
ships and armored cruisers and other types
will require some forty thousand men and boys
about double the number authorized for
service The government has two nautical
schools one at San Francisco but the Newport
station is the more commOdiOus and TO il the
E-eat majority of the enlisted youths find their
way. They appear in squads and separately.
from rural farming communities small VIII ages
and towns and cities from the West North.
South and East as well as from recruiting yes
sells which ply along the New England ana ad-
jaoent coasts At the training school for six
months the government puts the young sailor
lad through a course of preliminary traln.n.;
necessary to fit him for his first cruise At a.
10 qualify man to handle effectively modern
battleship with all its mechanism and To -
come expert gunner requires deal cf g; s.
tsmatic training, drilling and equipment 10 he
insrained into the individual
Here are the first requirements at ;hc outse,
of his career: The apprentice must he sixteen
or seventeen years old and enlist for four years.
ard should present signed credentials of con-
seat from his parents or guardians At twenty
one he graduates. At frs; ~ ~i:ed as fourth
class apprentice pay Of 50 month ana
falls into straight line for promotion accord .ng
to his own hard work and intelligence cloth
in. called a bounty outfit worth S43 ie al
lo:tod TO him. Apprentices are not permitted
draw any part Of their ray in money while
at the training station. except apprentice = tty
officers and boys III the first class in contact
who have at least SIS due them the former
receive 81 and the latter 81 a month eacn
The regulation requires appreutic" to have
t@o months pay due him before he can draw
any money for his personal use. Each
al prentice costs the United States about $iIO
for his first years training This Includes pay.
rations and maintenance. \ draft Of newly
enlisted apprentices on arrival are sent to the
medical officer for physical measurements and
eXamna ton. Those who pass have their old
clothes cast aside. battle shaved and have
their hair cut, and get set of navy togs Of
white duck trousers, jacket, etc. Each boy
is supposed TO spend twenty-four hours in the
detention building. when he is pronounced free
from disease germs He Is transferred to the
newcomers squad" and quartered for the next
three weeks In the old gymnasium building
which was formerly the barracks. with large