The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-07-29
AFTER INLAND RECRUITS
NAVAL TRAINING STATION TO BE
ESTABLISHED ON GREAT
LAKES.

| 0lNCH nSSdiai O~bSS'''S 1890
Being Assigned to a Berth on the
Salty ocean--May Cost Quarter
of Million.
The United States government Is
preparing to spend quarter of a mill
lion dollars on the establishment OF
training school on the Great Lakes,
announces the Philadelphia Record.
Strange would it be were there not
the makings of many tiptop biue-
jacket among the young men VINO re-
side in the eight states which border
on the Great Lakes. They grow up
under the progressive influence OF this
remarkable marine highway, 1000 miles
in length and holding one-third OF the
fresh water on the globe, and past
their doors, so to speak, sails the
greatest fleet flying the American nag
and carrying a commerce several tlInes
as great as that which passes through
the Suez canal, and bigger than the
combined traffic of the ports OF new
York and London Fascinated by such
glimpse of joys on the wave, the
sstrong, intangible magnetism OF WORK
before the mast each year lures many
a boy to the berth of fresh water
sailor, and small wonder, therefore,
that when Uncle Sam held out to these
restless, red-blooded young Yankees
the prospect of actually seeing the
world, mid all the spectacular pomp
of our navy they fiocked to his stand
ard with enthusiasm.
When the officers O. the United
States navy found that these clear
eyed, strong-limbed giants from the
interior, many of them country boys
wha had never seen salt water, MADE
the best recruits the service had ever
known, they speedily conceived the
idea of establishing a naval training
station on the unsalted seas. A new
incubator for jackies had to be estap-
Iished somewhere to meet the growing
demands of the navy, and what petter
place than this midcontinent maritime
realm, with its traditions OF Ferry S
victory, and so it is planned to expend
the sum of $3.50, 900 in providing on the
Great Lakes naval training station
that will be equal in every respect, IL
not superior. to those at Newport, X.
L., and San Francisco, Cal.
With the new naval preparatory
school in full swing attention will per-
force be turned to the provision OF
training ships on the Great Lakes, lot
ultimately it is desired to turn out at
this lake station bluejackets with SO
full and practical a knowledge OF sea-
manship assigned direct to cruising
men-of-war, ocean-going vessels. lO
be sure it will under such circum-
stances require short time for these
newcomers to get their "sea legs, 1oi
be it known ability to ride the snort
choppy waves of the Great Lakes Is nc
guarantee against seasickness under
the influence of the long, rolllns
swell of the ocean, but this inconvenl'
ence will be minor and temporary
Inasmuch as there is treaty be
, tween the United States and Grea
, Britain which prohibits either natlof
frHm maintaining more than one wa
:, vessel on the Great Lakes, 1T is PROB
able that the embryo jack1es Will nav
to put up for the time being with tn
antiuuated old gunboat Michigan
, which is now the sole representative
of Uncle Sans naval sovereignty Of
: the inland seas. The Michigan, Whlcl
is an iron and wooden craft, is one
the Oldest steam vessels in the Unite
States government. She is schooner
:, rugged vessel, 1853 feet in length, z
feet breadth. draws 8 feet of water
> and dfsplaces 6S5 tons Her engine
have only 365 horse power, and ne
best gait is little better than IL mile
an hour. She carries a crew OF 80 mel
;, and has an armament consisting
a six 6-pounder guns, two one-pounder
- and two Calling guns.
i, The problem of floating trainln
- grounds may also be solved by calm
into reouisition several of the CONVEX
ed Yachts now in the navy, such as tt
Hawk. which is now stationed on Lal
!, Erie for the use of the Ohio naval mi
tia. However, in the case of sue
= vessels the batteries would have to
!, removed. which would prevent instru
~ ton in gunnery being given. In Il
" end probably the treaty will be mod
fed so that Uncle Sam may increa
- his fresh water naval fleet, or else Il
:" Michigan will be replaced by an up-t
date cruiser. The latter is the mo
probable now that Canada is buildi1
for lake service a fast steel cruis
which will be capable of steaming at
speed of more than is miles an hot
lie and will carry several powerful rapi