New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-27

unions OF the Seamen CANNOT ii'A "
demand from their present ranks anu
from the accessions which some expect
to be made as the U-boats destroy
European ships and thus create
European surplus, we have formaI
organization now in the FORMATION
which plans to do for the future mer-
camille navy Of the country what
under the leadership Of the same men,
was done with the formidable Naval
Reserve. Under the presidency. OF
Commodore J. W. Miller, the organizer
Of the Naval Reserve idea, former
officer of the L. S. Navy. the Nautical
Training Schools Association has been
formed as a national organization to
launch system of training of appren-
tees on a permanent basis. This as
ISOLATION hopes to start out upon
volunteer basis, with ample funds con-
tributed bv wealthy members, and 70
eventuate a system of state combina-
ton training schools like the school
for the navy at Newport, R. |. Sup
plementng the good nautical schools
that New York and Massachusetts
maintain, the training schools the as.
ISOLATION plans would be maintained
partly by the Federal government,
partly by individual states, even the
interior commonwealth being expected
to give appropriations and send boys
to the schools, which would be To-
Gated on the coasts and the lakes.
To Establish Training Places
It is expected that the Shipping Com
mission, through Mr.. Towards orgsni-
cation, will soon establish emergency
training places for apprentices and
Ordinary seamen" at certain of our
coast cities. Mr.. Towards plans, as far
as they go in their emergency charac-
ter, closely resemble those Of Commo-
dore Miller, who is individually CO.
operating with the governments actlv-
tiles. Through publicity already under
way, the government expects to nave
many volunteers of suitable youth who
will enter the emergency fleet service
for the period of the war. These vol
unteers will be in the United States
service. They will be given an inten-
sive training analogous to the break
ing in" of raw navy boys at Newport,
on shore. Roomy piers may be Sc
cured and fitted up as nearly as pos
sble in imitation of shipboard. I'm
der the tutelage of experienced able
seamen" and petty officers OF merchant
ships, they will be taught the indis-
pensable arts of the sailor. A very
important part Of the drill will be life-
boat handling. U-boat experience has
emphasized the value of thorough drill
in getting away the boats. There have
been losses that more efficiency in life
boat work would have saved.
Commodore Miller and the gentlemen
Jim n
permanent nautical training places
foresee a future demand for we'll
trained men from the petty oficerships
upward, and their institution would IN
time develop into an extensive train
ing station where boys from fifteen to
seventeen would go to begin prepare
tions for a cadetship that ought 10
eventuate in command of vessel at
thirty or so. The idea is really that
of something bigger than school snip,
and capable of taking care of hundreds
instead of a few individuals. II would
be the American way Of doing what
England does in an institutional way
that has come as heritage from the
past.
instruction Lacking for Seaman
Germany has not failed to see the
importance of a correct technique of
seamanship in the conduct Of her in
dustrial schools. There are ample ia
cilities for educating the men for a
large merchant navy. They come into
close touch with the fighting navy sys-
TEN at certain points. An engineer IS
given a stiff and thorough curriculum
of mathematics, languages, mechanics,
and a practical course in electricity, IN
-, - ha a
chinery he will be responsible for. The
courses are carried up 10 the equlva-
lent of university courses for the men
who are expected 70 handle the great
liners of Hamburg and Bremen. The
leading steamship companies have spe-
cial courses conducted by their own in
structors in the public technical
schools, and at least one of them main
tains an independent nautical college
for the direct training of its officers.
In the United States, apart from the
graduation of men trained in the navy
and the limited output of our school
ships in New York and Massachusetts,,
our ships officers are Overwhelmingly
graduates OF the school OF experience,
who have also equipped themselves By
study to rise from one rank 10 another.
We have a number of technical schools,
corresponding closely with the typical
American business college in their re-
lationship to the shipping industries,
where our ambitious seamen and ships
officers go 70 prepare themselves for
advances in position. These schools
have all along given, as the market has
demanded, the instruction that M.
Towards emergency organization $
now giving extensively along the whole
seaboard of the country.
All this organization, abroad and
here, is intended to provide capable Of
fcers for the navigation, management
and driving Of the ships. There is
practically no organization yet TO de-
velop efficient men for the crews. AL
though experience and certain skill,
discipline, good eyesight and Injured
ness TO the sea is necessary to make an
able bodied seaman, even an ordinary
seaman, and other countries as well as
our own require certain record OF
time spent at sea and an examination
as TO physique and knowledge of ship
work TO obtain q certificate as an lab,
the only systematic training given sail |
ors TO make them more fit as plain sea
men is the splendid course such as we
give for our navy at Newport. Plain |
seamanship is labor" and the move
ment TO give efficiency TO that grade IN
the personnel OF the merchant marine
has not become general.
Economy or National Interest!
Would it pay to take American boys |
and give them training by thousands
for the merchant marine as boys are
trained for the navy! That may be
question for the practical economies Of ]