Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-07

smoking, but a plano on the main deck
is a source Of great pleasure, while the
older men teach the lads the art OF
fancy cording. But, as a rule, there Is
very little idle time, for there Is always
plenty to do. To learn seamanship from
the forecastle to the quarterback In two
years Is no mean undertaking, and the
lad who wishes to make 1t has 10 put In
every available moment.
The hrst-year boys devote themselves
to learning the rudiments, handling sails,
heaving the lead, studying from suitable
textbooks, ETC., while the second-year
lads are taught navigation ana the ham
ding Of a ship.
The second-year boys superintend and
aid in instructlng, while the officers look
on. In order to place responsibility upon
the second-year boys and allow them to
show their knowledge, each day one is
made the officer of the deck, and 1t Is
his duty to navigate the ship for the
time. He at noon must work out the ves-
sells position, and must give all orders
for trimming sail. changing course, etc.
The ship may be running smoothly
along with studdingsails set when one Of
the officers, dropping keg over the side.
sings out the dread Man overboardi"
The lad in charge of the ship must then
prove his ability. His orders for taking
off sail and placing the vessel on the
wind and the calling away of the life
boat crew must be given rapidly, dis
tinctly and In proper sequence to avoid
confusion, and many an overconhdent
youngster has made a laughable mess
of it.
1t is happy day when the word Is
| passed that tomorrow we pick up the
land" and, with the rising OF the sun,
| there are two or more youngsters on the
! main royal eager to report the first cloud
| like streak of terra f1rma.
| L., ,t,. tod
her anchor chain sings its song as itTattles
| through the hawsepipe, and there is q
| relaxation of sea work and an opportu-
nifty to go ashore and see strange sights.
All is not play, however, for there are
drills In the small boats and the lads
| deficient In studies have to catch up, but
| there Is found ample time for recreation,
| and the boys miss but little as they sail
| frNm port to port, and when the home
| ward-bound pennant is set and the ship
| points her bow toward home there Is u
| remarkable difference In the crew thar
| three months or more before came on
| board not knowing the sheet anchor
| from the spanker.
Not only Is the crew changed from q
| point Of discipline and knowledge, but
| even physically, and the frail little fell
| lows from upstate are tough and hardy,
| for there is nothing that develops the
boy like the tonic of sea air, plain but
substantial food, plenty of exercise and
not too much sleep.
The homeward cruise is like the out
ward, except that there is less hard
| work. or rather effort, for the boys have
learned the knack of taking a turn at
the precise moment and there is through
out the ship a feeling of confidence.
There lis no fear OF the black. racing
storm-clouds or heaving seas, for there
| is not a lad on board who is not a
| capable OF rating as an able seaman.
If the boys were happy when the look
| outsman picked up the first bit of foreign
| shore, words will not describe the emo
| tions when there comes from aloft the
cry, Land hor' and the distant streak
| Is Home sweet home" Every move
ment is quickened and 1t is with an air
] of lmpatience that they watch the land
coming nearer and nearer, for they know
| that already the watchmen at the capes
| have observed the ship and reported
her to the Maritime Exchange and the
| afternoon papers will print the news.
| 1t sometimes happens that when there
is known to be n gale at sea and the
training ships are supposed to be in the
| vicinity, some reported. who, perhaps.
never saw the water save from the deck
of a sidewheel excursion steamer, writes
q column of the possible disaster. The re.
! suit is that the mothers of the boys afoat
besiege the shore offices Of the ships
and they are usually given scant news
for there Is none, but plenty of assurance
| that the ships are all right and when she
| is reported coming up the river every
lads mother is at the dock waiting.
When the ship had warped in and the
| gangway lowered there were some sur
prises in store and instead OF the pale
wan and sickly lads there tumble to the
| wharf two-score bronzed. hefty and tall
young giants who nearly squeeze the life
out OF their mothers, much to the latter's
surprise, for they can scarce believe their
eyes. 1t is matter of record that one
| fond mother actually failed to recognize
| her offspring, he had developed so much.
Then come the graduation exercseH
| and with their papers In their pockets the
! successful lads go into the world to seek
livelihood. 1t must be understood, how
ever, that a graduate from one OF the
| nautical schools does not at once become
| an officer in the merchant marine. Like
the graduate OF a school of law or medi-
cine, he has only made his preparation for
/ a career; but with the difference that he
has also learned trade that viii always
secure him berth as petty officer
The recommended course is to ship as
seaman and thus work up, but the de-
mand for these graduates Is SO great that
the majority obtain positions as quarter
/ masters on coasting steamers, while 9TH
/ ers go as first and second mates on sail
| ing vessels. A few are taken as quarter
masters on transatlantic steamers, and,
as an illustration OF the thorough traiuing
OF the scholarships, there are some gradu-
ates not yet 21 years OF age who are hrst
/ and second mates OF ocean steamers OF
several thousand tons,
Good education and systematic train.
ing will enable anyone TO lead those with
out those advantages IN any line or busis
ness, and steamship companies. knowing
this, are constantly endeayOring 70 better
the personnel on their ships, with the re-
suit that the demand for schoolshiD grad
yates Is greater than the supply.
In conclusion, l Wish to thank Com
mander Atwater and Messrs- II. ID.
Moses. Il. H. Webb aud NJ 4. Ingraham.
/ NJ D., OF the Pennsylvania Nautical
School Ship Saratoga, for their informa-
tlon aud the accompanying illustrations.
! which depict the making Of q mastef-
mariner THOMAS WILSON.