Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-08-13
CHARMS OF THE AAYY.
1T OFFERS A FASCINATING CA,
REER TO YOUNG MEN.

There has never been so great In
terest taken in naval matters In this
country as at present. writes the
Washington correspondent of the New
York Tribune The recent finding of
the bones of Paul Jones, the sweeping
victory of Togo over the Russians,
and our own achievements at Manila
and Santiago during the Spanish War,
all have had the effect of awakening
among our people keen interest in
the navy. With the President enthus-
iasticalIy in favor of upbuilding the
navy, this country is expected TO be-
come IN a few years one of the fore
most naval powers of the world
The big vessels being added to the
navy must be manned and their crews
must be trained While it is gener-
ally known that the navy offers excel
lent opportunities for good life places,
it is not so generally understood that
1t is not absolutely necessary to be
appointed to the Naval Academy in
order to reach commissioned rank.
The United States Navy today is
composed practically of Americans,
and, of course, man for man, there Is
no superior navy In existence. The
men are we'll cared for, have the best
medical attendance when III, receive
good food and plenty of 1t. and have
frequent liberty in home or foreign
ports.
Formerly the navy was recruited al
most exclusively from the seafaring
class. A large percentage of the men
thus secured were of foreign birth,
and 'rummies," accustomed to hard
knocks, who did not expect to receive
much consideration nor good treat
ment.
A change for the better. however,
has taken place. Now it is required
of man on first enlistment that he
be citizen OF the United States, by
birth or naturalization; he must be
young and able to read and write. 1t
is not necessary that he possess the
slightest knowledge of the sea; in
struction in the line of his new duties
is given after enlistment 1t is a COM
mon saying in the service that half of
the navy is training the other half. A
Young man eighteen years old, from
the farm or shop, and without any
mechanical trade, who enlists, is first
taught "sailorizing." He is sent to
one of the three training stations
at Newport, Norfolk or San Francisco.
hn xrifh n
him, an outfit of clothing needed in
the service, valued at s45. After
DOMINIC the uniform the new Jack tar
is assigned to company and instruct
ed in setting UP exercises, battalion
and company drills, taught how to
care Tor his clothes, bag and hammock,
how 70 look out for himself, and re-
ceiyes such other rudimentary training
as is possible at shore station.
Attached to the training stations are
several small craft, mostly yachts pur-
chased during the Spanish war for use
as auxiliary gunboats. These vessels
are used for short weekly trips in in
land waters, with drafts of recruits
who have been at the station about a
month. Each yacht has seasoned
skeleton crew. The embryo sailorman
is thus taught seamanship and the
ships habits in smooth waters. These
| short cruises are always interesting.
| The trips from Norfolk are up the
Potomac River to Washington and in
| termediate points up the Chesapeake
20 Dol nd AnnonnIic
up the James, the York and the Rap
pahannock rivers to historic old places
| in Virginia. The yachts were oTigi-
nally built for pleasure cruising and
owned by wealthy men, and are hand
! somely fitted up and comfortable. Lib
erty is granted at all places of in
| terest, and parties of sightseers from
the training ships are frequently seen
on the streets of Washington and in
the public buildings.
| After a few months at the training
| station, the recruits are sent in drafts
on board cruising training ships.
These are large, seagoing vessels of
the converted cruiser type, and as a
rule are big, comfortable vessels which
were bought by the navy at the begin
ming of the Spanish war from the pas
senger and freight steamship lines.
| The cruise is in Southern waters in
| the winter time, and to the Mediter-
ranean or along the New England
coast in the summer time, and lasts
| about six months. Upon the compile
| ton, of the cruise the recruits are ex-
anlined for promotion, and transferred
| to the general service in the rating OF
| seamen on ordinary seamen. There
after advancement is steady, and fair
| ly rapid. 1t depends entirely upon the
| individual ability and effort. The OPP
| portunity exists, for, owing to the
rapid expansion of the navy, men for
the petty officers bfllets cannot be
trained fast enough to supply the de-
mand. 1t is possible for bright young
man who enters the service at SIG a
month to reach the grade of chief pet
ty officer, with pay ranging from $50
to $40 a month, during one enlist
ment. All chief petty officers who
| nave oCINCQ OlCQASobAJ Al bAbS doO
for one year receive $40.
The present training service is a
consolidation Of the old landsman and
apprentice training systems, and has
been in force since est fall, with ex-
| cellent results. Now all men without
| previous sea service, or without any
special trade or calling, are enlisted
as apprentice seamen, at SIG month,
as compared with the old rate of 50
| at entrance.
In addition to the training of APP
prentice seamen, schools are maintain
| ed for electricians, yeomen clerical
force, the carpenters gang, painters,
machin.sts, hospital men, and the like,
all open to recruits with an aptitude
for such trades or occupations, but
without sufficient experience to hold
| rha rarug on board ship The men