New-York tribune., 1906-10-17
QUE SCHOOL FoR SAILORS.

The plan to replace the schoolship st. Mary's
the sixty-year-old frigate which has long been
the home Of the New York Nautical School
with a modern vessel of the steam auxiliary
type has much to commend it and we hope
that President Winthrop of the Board of Edu-
cation will succeed in persuading the federal
authorities to detail for the service some vessel
better suited to the modern requirements of
nautical education than the St Mary's, which.
though stanch and seaworthy, does not offer
the fullest scope desirable for the education of
officers for the merchant marine
The New York Nautical School is not q re-
formatory. though there has been at times a
tendency to send to 1t boys not easily amenabe
to home discipline The boys desired, and in
large measure secured are law-abiding and
self-respectng young fellows who wish spe-
cial training with a view to becoming officers
in the merchant marine. They are not looking
to become sailors before the mast The old
bluejacket uniform which they formerly wore
has been exchanged for n dress beftting cadets
and so far the facilities Of the St NIary's
allow, thorough training is given for the work
of an officer. 1t is manifest however that a
mere acquaintance with the work of a sailing
vessel is not enough for officer of the present
day The frgate is everywhere going out Of
use. The schooner retains its place In the coast
ing trade, but even IN that trade the number
or steam vessels Increases every year and the
vast bulk of the ocean carrying trade makes use
of steam. OF course, no man is a thorough
salIor Mt to meet all the emergencies of the
sea, who has not been well schooled on a sail
ing vessel, and no one would wish these younp
men simply tc be engineers and electricians,
with a pilothouse knowledge of navigation.
The foundation of seamanship must still be q
complete knowledge of sailing craft but there
should be added to it an equally complete knowI-
edge OF steam and electricity so far as they
are used in the modern merchant marine For
that purpose q schoOlship with auxiliary engines
would be better than q cruiser, If the govern
ment had one 10 spare.
The Nautical School is a city enterprise. an
adJunct TO the municipal educational system
though the st. Mary's is loaned by the United
States navy, and, if the federal government
cannot lend ship with auxiliary steam power.
possibly the city may think it worth while to
secure one Of its own. This, however. ought
not TO be necessary. New York Is naturally the
centre OF nautical education. and it is a matter
of national concern that boys here with taste
for sea life should be encouraged to embark on
1t and be aided IN securing proper education
for the work. 1t is scarcely more important TO
the country TO have we'll oficered navy than a
well ofhcered merchant marine. The develop
ment of our foreign commerce and the extension
of our trade relations depend as much upon good
American officers as upon ships sailing under
the American flag. And In time of war when
1t may be necessary suddenly TO expand our
naval force. a large body of men trained to he
officers on merchant ships would be of the
greatest service. Local training schools in sea-
manship, like regiments Of local militia, are po-
tentiaI defences of the nation. and should be
fostered such. The government is ever ready
to give its assistance to the National Guard or
detail officers TO supervise the military drill of
colleges and academies, and it will make no
mistake If it meets the new needs of the New
York Nautical School in similarly liberal spirit
and replaces the old frigate with a vessel of
more modern type