The sun., 1917-09-30
Federal Shipping Board Educating
Deck and Engine Room Forces for
Ships Still on the Stocks

great machines that drive the modern
ship On her way. The shipping Board
looked over the situation and then
called in the Steamboat Inspection
Service. Supervising Inspector Gem
eral George Uhler responded. The
Shipping Board designated r. b
Stevens from among its membership
to handle It's end Of the situation. The
two decided on a scheme that would
Insure the thousands Of ofiicers needed
at a time when the army and the navy
and all private industry were clamor-
ing for men, when the war emergency
was making man power the supreme
demand. And they issued this modest
announcement:
Henry Howard Of Boston has bssn
appointed director OF recruiting under
the Shipping Board and will conduct
q campaign for men out of whom We
expect to make ships Officers and en-
gineers and mates and engineers' as
sistants. The headquarters Of this
campaign will be at the Boston Gus
tom House. Already q large numhsr
Of recruits have been obtained.
We recognise that there are many
men with nautical experience who are
good potential material for oficsrs.
1t is estimated that there will b
needed four deck officers for each ship
and four engine room ofiicers to care
tor the ships that are now building.
This totals 5000 officers needed, and
the German ships taken over and the
ships under construction will bring the
required number Of officers We must
have to 10000.
The work started with Q nautical
school near Boston. where . oonAdsr-
able number Of recruits have volun.
teered and begun to receive instruo-
tionA They viii be given an intensive
course Of trainins n the essential and
practical matters Of knowledge re-
gard!ng navigation. The instructors
are headed by Dean Alfred e. Burton
Of the Massachusetts, Institute Of Tech
nology, himself a practical navigator
and q former member Of tho United
States Coast and 0eodetic Survey.
Tho other instructors will be drawn
from the stan of the Institute OF Tech
nology and from tho explorers. navi-
gators and former members Of the
Coast and Geodetic Survey staff. All
will be thoroughly practical men. The
Secretary Of Commerce has offered tO
assist through the trained oflicers Vt
tho Steamboat inspection Service.
To Get PRACTICAL Work.
Tho technical instruction win be fol-
lowed by actual experience on the
bridge and in the engine room, split
ting watches with those who are al
ready qualified. The first period Of
instruction will be given along the
coast from eastern Maine to Norfolk.
At present It is intended to establish
fifteen Of these schools at once. In the
winter season It 10 likely the instruc-
ton will be moved to the milder climate
Of tho South.
The work Is q very attractive propo-
sition. Current wages are about $3.50
. month for mates and $3.50 for cap
tains, with war bonuses in addition.
It IL thought that in two months at
the outside a man Of good understand
Ing. with some foundation Of nauti-
cal knowledge. may make a competent
officer in the main essentials sum-
ciently to do practical work.
The applicants need not be Of sny
particular age. There Is no reason
why a man OF 50 should not enter the
schools and be made into an Officer
provided he Is able to pass a physical
examination. Those who cannot do
this as a first requisite will Of course
be rejected. Only men who are In mo
physical condition can be used.
To simplify the task of securing
the vast army Of men that must be
ready to handle the millions OF tons
Of shipping that will make up Amer.