The Monticellonian., 1917-03-29

publicity and modernism Night and
day the skeletons of ships take on
form and slip from the ways to make
room for more and larger vessels.
Japan's Navigation Schools.
Yesterday, here on deck, within sight
of the Stars and Stripes that Captain
Bickel has made TO represent good will
and friendship throughout the Inland
sea of Japan, | had an interview with
kobayashi San, the principal of one of
Japans ten navigation schools His
former students are now sailing the
seven seas. Most of them carry with
them Il personal introduction to mis-
sionaries and seamen's homes through
out the world, signed by Captain Bicke1
and bearing a hundred or more adj
dresses of potential friends from the
canal to the capeS.
kobayashi San speaks English better
than most japanese, though he has lit
tie chance to practice. His work is on
the little island of Yugeshma, whittier
the English-speaking traveller seldom
comes but he has kept with him these
40 years the knowledge of English
which he gained from an early mission
airy in Niigata.
With his sweeping panama, his
heavy beard and mustache. his vfvacf-
Gus manner, he would look as much
at home in the Place de fOpera as in
this lonely island of the Inland sea,
where one has storms for companions
and indescribably delicate sunsets for
friends. He Is like no other japanese
| have ever seen. Frank, full of fun.
witty. and, as he says. having "a bit of
American in his head he Is as inter
esting In the way he acts as in the way
he talks.
In the harbor of this out-of-the-way
island we We're discussing the extern
sion of the American navy. Imagine a
cowboy in the West giving thought to
whether Japan built one more battle
ship or adopted a new foreign policy
when you get these new ships,
where will you get the men to handle
them?" asked this principal of a school
in which a hundred young men are TAX
ing the first three years of a nine years
course to fit them to be captains of
merchant ships. You can build ships
In short time, but 1t takes much long
er to build officers"
How Captains Are Trained.
He ought to know. for in the school
which we had visited, from fencing
mask to sextant, chronometer, com
pass and bowline. the whole equipment
Is for the training of officers in Japan's
constantly growing commercial fleet.
The school grounds are spick and
span. The school garden contains no
weed. When visitor enters the study
ROOM there is quick command by the
student In charge, and every white
clad student is erect and at attention
'Prussian methods" you say. Yes,
and all directed to the development of
individual worth and responsibilities
These students are not to be stokers
but captains. No discipline Is too strict
for the training of those who are to
command.
After three years of training in one
of 4he ten schools, or in the college in
Tokyo, the young men go to sea to
serve three years more. They would
become stiff and too old for training If
they stayed In school long. Three years
they serve as apprentices In active
service, with study every day and fire.
quent examinations. They then have a
second mates certificate. Three years
more of examinations and tests, and
the apt scholar can become captain
at twenty-eight.
The merchant marine in Japan is not
trade or last resort for drunken
neer-do- wells. 1t is career. The
apprentice in training expects to be
treated as gentleman.