Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-30
Consolidation Of the Two Sys-
TENS Now Employed.
RAISING THE AGELIMIT
THE MINIMUM no BE Fixed AT
SEVENTEEN YEARS.
Boys Will Hereafter Be Enlisted as Ap-
prentice seamen and Paid Sixteen
Dollars q Month.

BY the action of the President in APPROX
ing the establishment of the rating of ZAP
prentice seaman consolidation has been
made of the systems of training sailors for
the navy, and material modification has
been made of the apprentice system as 1t
has been in effect for the past twenty-five
years.
The navy has had authority since 1887 to
enlist boys between the ages Of sixteen and
eighteen years. Various plans were made
for their education and instruction, but no
definite results were obtained until 1875,
when the increased need for trained sailors
was felt and the foundations of the appren-
tice training system. which has existed until
the present time, were laid. Vessels were
especially detailed for training work. but
the system was not thoroughly established
until 1880, when training squadron was es-
tabIfshed and the work thoroughly syste-
matized.
Trained in Sailing Ships.
The apprentice system was largely based
on the need OF special training In the hand
ling of ships under sail. AS sail power dis
appeared aud vessels of war began to take
on the character OF complicated mechan-
isms. very much of the need of training sea-
men from an early age disappeared. Heavier
ordnance and appliances made 1t less pos
sible to use light and immature boys in the
work Of the ship, and within the past few
years it has become certain that there was
q loss In carrying boys of fifteen or sixteen
years of age until they reached an age of
usefulness.
An attempt was made to remedy this loss
without changing the apprentice system, by
increasing the minimum age Of enlistment
to seventeen years. 1t was found that this
was impracticable. as a tessening number
Of apprentices was secured at So a month
w q q
at eighteen, as q landsman for training, at
SIG month. 1t was found that the train
ing Of Iandsmen for eighteen months gave,
for all practicable purposes, equivalent re-
suits with the training Of boy for three
years, and In the interests of economy and
rapidfty of results it was determined that
the two ratings should be consolidated UNI
der the rating of apprentice seaman
The New Practice.
Boys will be enlisted as apprentice sea-
men. at the pay of SIG a month, from the
age Of seventeen years. Those under the
age of eighteen will be required to have
the consent of patents or guardians. and
will be enlisted until they ere twenty-one
Enlistment at eighteen years will be for
four years at the same pay. As the merg-
ing of the systems will place the whole
number of men under training practically
in the same position as the apprentice sys-
tenn, all the training vessels and the sta
| tfOn at newport VIII De Induo dVdilADke lOA
the training of the apprentice seamen, and
there will be marked increase In the
number of trained seamen that can be
graduated for use on the ships of the navy
within given time.
The ultimate result will be a marked
economy through the simpliffcation OF the
whole training system, and the lessening
of the time tn which recruits can be fitted
for effective service.
The New C1assiAcations.
At the present time there are GIG appren-
tees and 1858 landsmen under training.
In consolidating the system the flrst-class
apprentices will be rated "seamen," Sec
ond-class apprentices as ordinary sea-
men," and third-class apprentices and
landsmen will be rated apprentice sea-
men," This will give an increase Of pay to
all of the apprentices now in the service,
which will be Offset by decreases In ex-
penses by reason of maintaining a single
training system, and will be followed by a
considerable decrease from the fact that
trained seamen will be developed In APP
proximately one-half the time formerly
taken.
Secretary Morton has had the question
Of the consolidation of the two systems of
training under consideration for some time.
1t became apparent that there was a dupli-
cation of the training work, that economy
and added efficiency would result from the
change in the old apprentice system was
necessary in view Of the changed condi-
lions of the navy. After careful considera-
ton of the proposed change 1t was approx
ed and recommended to the President for
the action taken.