The San Francisco call., 1910-06-19

aboard, the food is coarse and there is
a terrible sameness about the life 1t
is only human that he should some
times rebel. even though he knows that
II Is foolish and that he places himself
in an embarrassing position with both
family and master. In a case OF deser-
tton the latter can place the deserter
in custody IL he is captured and keep
him there until the ship Is ready 10
sail In addition the fee OF appren-
ticeship is forfeited TO the skipper.
Only recently lad from a big Brit
ish bark tired OF the life and left the
ship very quietly one dark night. He
was located on small schooner about
to sail for Mexico with a cargo OF dy-
Mantle and upon which vessel he had
been allowed TO sign up" only because
a crew was badly needed. it being al
most impossible to get men on account
of the hazard: and besides the expedi-
tiOn had all OF the earmarks OF mutiny.
The British skipper very quietly
boarded the little schooner one early
morning. surprised the boy and told
him that he could take his choice-go
TO Jail until the bark was loaded or
come back and go TO work like a man.
The latter course was chosen and the
lad is saved to his parents. who will
never know of the occurrence.
There can be no doubt that this
system Of apprenticeship has a great
effect upon the prosperity OF the Brit
ish merchant marine. OF course the
day of the windjammer is about passed
and in another decade very few OF them
will be SEEN Upon the opening OF the
Panama canal it is doubtful il any OF
them will enter the harbor. But 1t is
on these vessels that interest IN sea
life has been inspired in thousands OF
men who are now high up in the serv-
ice OF the merchant marine Most OF
the apprentices upon the completion OF
their term become petty officers on
some steam mship and rise to command.
Some Of them never sail again. but en-
gage in business by means OF the fam
lily excheQuer, using the life at sea
merely as an education. But when IL
Is considered that there is not known
to be an American ship carrying an
apprentice is il not a significant fact
that Great Britain has IL 500 steamships
in her merchant marine to our pitiful
number nine? Surely the life aboard
the "windiammer." crude and unpleas-
ant as ii no doubt is. at first TO the ap-
prentice and as IL always is TO the laud-
lubber. must furnish some sort OF in
spiratfon to these lads and adds TO the
1uster of the mother country's mer-
chant shipping.
When the old ship is loaded, tbs
matches battened down and the bow
know that on the following morning
she will swing out into the stream and
point her nose for home, they can not
contain their Joy. for, although they
have passed the homesick stage. there
Is a swelling Of the heart when rney
think Of the homegoing- So the last
night in port is a merry one. The half
deck rings with song. astonishing
water front wanderers who stop to
gaze at the old "windjammer." from
whose dark shadows such hilarity pro-
ceeds 1t is not the sound Of drunken
carousal, but the strong. full throated
song OF boyish voices singing the much
sung
Rolling home. rolling home. rolling hcms aerous
the sea.
Rolling home TO Merrie England,
Rolling home. dear land. to thee.