The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30
u,o MERCHANT MARINE CADET.

~ am shipping Is so much in the
l..bl.c eye 1t is significant to
r,te that comparatively few
native born American boys are taking
nm the sea as a profession. In former
days thc American clipper. Differed
and manned by Yankees, was the
ouecn " the seas, but now the sight Of
the stars and Stripes in a foreign port
isa rarity. Every year the number of
young men who go to sea and remain
nj the profession grows smaller. This
leads 10 the conclusion that some rea-
son must exist for this state Of affairs
To one who is familiar with conditions
at sea and the life there it ceases to
be a sourcc Of wonder.
A captain Of one Of the coastwise
steamers said recently that OF the
youns men who graduated with him
from the training ship Newport about
5 per cent. remained steamship off,
GERS: the other 95 had sought a living
ashore. This fact is worth remember
ing in the light Of what is to follow.
To understand why the modern
Yankee boy foregoes the sea as a
means Of livelihood, let us look at what
the life offers to a young man.
Imhis youth his parents Immediately
discourage as far as possible any no.
ton Of going to sea. II William ex-
presses a desire to taste the pleasures
Of a life on the ocean wave father
takes hin aside and in a solemn man.
ner tells him that the sea is a place
where nobody but the riffraff 60, that
the life : hard and the compensation
very poor. This is in part true. But
right here let me say that II people
ashore would abandon their attitude
Of suspicion toward ~seafaring men a
higher class of men would be attracted
to the business.
As q general thing that Is the end Of
Il, for william is discouraged by pa
rental opposition. The prospect Of
hardsh.ps does not appeal to him, be-
cause he has been reared in an en-
tirely different manne from his grand
father. The boy OF 1910 would make
light of SOM things that seem I'M
endurable to the lad Of 1915. More
over, the great manufacturing estab-
lIshments that have sprung up since
those days offer to the modern boy a
better living ashore than would have
been dreamed Of in the time Of his
grandfather. The great change in the
standard Of living for all classes also
has It's effect. for young men Of the
present time will not put up with the
things their forebears regarded as
everyday occurrences; poor food and
quarters and little or no chance for
recreation do not appeal to the rising
generation.
To become an officer IL Is necessary
70 serve three years in the deck de-
laftment OF a vessel (the writer refers
To steamships. as he has had no ex.
Ference in sailing vessels), one year
Of which must have been put in as
quartermaster, or helmsman. II the
wou.d-be officer is unable to take the
course offered in the training ships
which costs $50, he must go 10 sea
as either cadet or seaman. Let us sup.
pose he does the latter, and see wha,
ne must 20 through for three year.
10 become a mate.
me sailors in steamships turn to-
al $50 IN the morning and wash down
,he decks, That means scrubbing witt
oroom or ~holystone after the boat.
swain has flushed the deck with water
WINTER and summer this goes on
Ihen at 5 there is an hour for break.
'ast. between Q and IL there Is paint.
.hg' washing down with strone
'souEv' water, hosting gear to bs
gone over and many other odd Jobs
10 he done. After an hour for din.
her n" men work until 5, when SUP.
per is brought out.
At other times the "A. B." must &c
INTO the rigging and repair running
gear taking his life in his hands wher
ne does so. The average sailor is q
hrst c,ass steeplejack, and think.
nothing If going aloft when the shiI
Is rolling and pitching. Any one who
Is OF the opinion that seamen enjoy q
slnecur" should sign on for a voyage
on any IF the lines. One trip will dis
Illusion him completely.
The food is fairly good, thanks tt
the fact that It passes through thu