Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-04-03

smoking hut piano on the main deck
Is source % great pleasure, while the
Older men tearn .ar lads the art OF
fancy rordiae But, as o rule. there is
very little idle time. for there Is always
plenty 10 do Ia learn scamanship from
the tOrcCastlv 10 the quarterdeck in two
years is no mean undertaking. aud the
lad who wishes to make Il has 20 put In
every available moment
The first year boys devote themselves
10 learning the rudimeuts handling sails.
heavlns the lead. studying from sI'rahie
textbooks. ctr. while the seeond-yes
lads are taught navigation and the han
ding OF l. ship,
The second wear hoys sUperintend and
aid ia iustrnctlng. While the officers look
on. ln order to pace responsibility upon
the second yrar hoys and allow them to
show their knowledge. each day one is
made the officer Of the deck ard IL Ia
his duty to navigate the ship for the
time He at noon must work out the yes.
SETS position. aud must give all orders
for trimming sail. changing course. etc.
The ship may lie running smoothly
a oug vita s:Gddlngsnlls set when one Of
the officers dropping a keg over the side,
sings out the dread Man oyerboard!"
The tad in charge OF the ship must then
prove his ability. His orders for taking
OF sail and placing the vessel on the
wind aud the cal Ing away OF the life
boat crew must he given rapidly, dis.
tinctly and IN proper sequence TO avoid
confusion, and many an oyerconHdeut
youngster has made laughable ness
of H.
II Is a happy day when the word 10
passed thar tomorrow we pick up the
land, and, with the rising OF the sun,
there are two or more youngsters on the
lqalu royal eager to report the tirst cloud
like streak OF terra TRINA,
Silently the ship g.ldes Into harbor. and
her anchor chain sings Its song as II utties
through the huwseplpe, aud there Is
relaxation OF sea work aud an opportB-
atty to 60 ashore and see strange sights.
All Is not play, however. for there are
drills in the snall boats ani the lads
deficient Ia studies have TO catch up. but
there is found ample time for recreation,
and the boys miss but little Is they sail
from port to port. and wheE nie home
ward-bu peunanr Is sci and lie snip
points her bow toward nome there 10
remarkable difference Ia he ecew thsi
three months or more before came on
board, not knowing the sheet anchor
from the spanker. 5
MT oni. Is the crew changed from
point OF discipline aud knowledge but
even physically, aud the fraii little fei-
lows from upstate are tough aud hardy.
Tor there Is nothing that develops the
| boy like the tonic of sea air, plain but
! substantial food. plenty Of exercise and
/ not 100 much sleep.
The homeward cruise Is like the out
wnrd except that there is less hard
work, OF rather effort. Tor the boys have
learned the knack Of taking a turn az
the precise moment aud there is through
out the ship feeling OF confidence.
There Is. 10 fear Of the black, racing
Siotm.clouds or heaYing seas. for there
IL not lad on board who is not
capable OF rating as m able seaman.
IL the boys were happy when the look.
outsnian picked % the Iirst bit of foreign
Shore words viii not describe the emo.
lions wien there zones from nlofi the
cry, Land bo, al the distant streak
liz Home sweet home Every move
mont is qulckened and II Is with an air
Of Impotence 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.
II sometimes happens that when there
Is known 10 be gale AT sea aud the
trimming ships are supposed TO be in the
vicinity some reported. who, Aerhaps.
never saw the water save from the deck
bi Il SiuENHtft FAFufHitH sAfHHItf+ NIttth
column of the possible disaster. The re-
suit is that the mothers Of the boys aaoat
besiege the shore Offices OF the ships.
aud they are usually given scant news
for there Ia none. but plenty OF assurance
that the ships are all right. and when she
IS reported coming M the river every
lads mother Is at the dock waiting.
When the ship had warped in and the
gangway lowered there were some sur
grag tn and tDus of ha az
wan and sickly lads there tumble TO the
wharf two-score bronzed. hefty and tall
young giants who nearly squeeze the ire
out Of their mothers. much to the iatterE
surprise, for they can scarce believe their
eyes II is a matter of record that one
fond mother actually failed to recognize
her offspring. he had developed so much.
Then come the graduation exercises,
aud with their papers ia their pockets the
successful lads 80 into the world to seek
p livelihood II must be understood. how
ever, that graduate from one of the
nautical schools does not at once become
an officer Ia the merchant marine. Like
the graduate OF q school Of law Or medl-
cine he has only made his preparation foe
n career: uut with the difference that he
has also learned trade that will always
secure him berth rs petty officer.
The recommended course IS to ship as
senman and this work up, but the de
mand for these graduates is so great THAI
the majority obtain positions as quarter
masters On costing steamers while 9th
ers go rs fra. and second mates on SAT-.
ing vessels a few are taken rs quarter
masters on trans Atlantic steamers, and.
MS an illustration eg the thorough training
Of the schoo ships there are some gradu-
ates not yet II years OF age who are trst
and secout mates OF ocean steamers Of
several Thousand tons.
Good education aud n systematic train
INK VIII enable anyone to lead those with.
ont those advantages In any ilne or busi-
ness. and steamship companies. knowing
tbis, are CONSTANT cndeayoriDR To better
the personnel on 4elr ships, with the re-
suit that the demand for schooIshlp grad
yates IS greater than the supply
In conclusion. ] wish 10 thank Com
mander Atwatcr ana Mcssrs H. O.
Noses. H. II Webb and \ r. iugraham
NJ D.. u tho Pennsylvania Nau1ic&i
school Shit Saratoga, for their informa-
tlon and tive accompanying Illustrations.
which depict the making Of master
mariner. THOMAS WILSON