The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-05-17
Training Ships for
New Merchant Crews

the Only NOTh uO1t III iidluihS AhCi
chant seamen, that is, men for cargo
and passenger vessels, before the war
having been on q few Scholarships
maintained by two or three Atlantic
seaboard states.
Now the country has whole fleet
of training ships, recently put into
commission by the United States Ship
ping Board, as part of the cOuntry'S
war equipment. On the vessels young
men from all parts of the country will
make their first acquaintance with a
sailors life.
National headquarters for this fleet
of training ships is at Boston. but this
port is not the only one at which such
ships are based. Philadelphia recently
had one of the ships in port month,
taking on 500 apprentices who volun-
teered to serve at sea rather than in
their cOuntry's land forces.
San Francisco is fitting out large
seagOing ship. the Iris, to accOmmo-
date the recruits for the merchant
marine from the Pacific coast and
mountain states.
New York has a receiving ship. the
steamer DOROTHY Bradford.
New Orleans is expected to have
station ship on Lake POntchartrain,
that broad arm of the sea near the
city, where young men of the Southern
states will have preliminary training
before going aboard one of the cruis-
ing training vessels.
Home Base of Ships.
Boston, the home base of the ship
ping board training service, will re-
ceive men from the Eastern and Cen
trail states. 1t has as a station ship.
on which recruits are received, the for
mer Atlantic liner City of Berlin
Cater the transport Meade). a super
greyhound in her time, and holder of
the transatlantic speed record, both
east and west. in 1875. Though now
fOrty-four years old, the Meade is a
handsome and habitable ship. She was
reftted for the special use of the ship
ping board recruiting service at New
port News, Va, in the spring of 1918.
She has capacity for about one thou
sand apprentices.
Two cruising ships based at the Bos-
ton training station are the Calvin
Austin and Governor Dingley, modern
steel twin vessels, nearly three hum
dred feet long, formerly in the coast
wise passenger service. Each has a
capacity for so apprentices.
All the training ships are specially
equipped with accessories to healthful
living. Each has modern hospital,
with doctor and nurse in attendance.
There is generous steam heating
plant for use in the cold months. Sleep
ing quarters are we'll ventilated. Gal
leys and messrooms are kept scrupu-
lousy neat. There are ample shower
baths and modern plumbing.
Course in Sea Training.
Under strict but kindly discipline, a
young man is as well cared for here
as at home, and he associates only
with young men of his own type, and
instructors Of character and expert
ence.
The length of the course of training
for an apprentice on the United States
Shipping Board training ship may vary,
according to circumstances. from a
minimum Of not less than a month to
probably not more than three months.
The training is practical. with whole
some system of instruction and exer-
else lasting eight hours a day, and
proper intervals for rest and recrea-
ton.
Particular attention is paid to the
routine Of life on shipbOard to boat
drill and to fire drill The apprentices
who are to become sailors are drilled
also in seamanship lookout, knowledge
of the compass and the handling and
splicing of ropes. Firemen are drilled
under trained men in the art of ham
ding fuel and making steam. Cooks
and meSSmen are given actual instruc-
ton in galley and messrOom under eX-
perienced instructors. Each inStruc-
tor, so far as practicable is in charge
of only ten men, which inSures indi-
vidual attention to each of the appren.
tices in his charge.
The inexperienced man trained by
the course Of instruction thus provided
will become qualified in the shortest
possible time to serve his country in
it's merchant fleets.
Chances for Promotion.
When he has finished his training as
an apprentice he will take his place in
actual work at sea beside experienced
men who will respect his legal status
among them. Not only the sailors. but
the fremen, coal passers, cooks ard
messmen that come off the training
ships will start in their tasks at sea
with the knowledge that they are
wanted and welcome on the new YES
sells of the merchant marine
The young American merchant sailor
knows that after total of two years
sea experience he may enter ship
ping board school in navigation to fl
himself for an officers license; that in
three wears he can pass uDWa rC