The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-03-27
AMERICAN MERCHANT FLEET.
WE HAVE CREATED WITHIN
THREE YEARS GREAT MER-
CHANT MARINE.
Development as Result Of Submarine
Warfare Has Been Greater Than
Ordinarily Would Have Been Pos
sible I'm n Quarter OF a Century.

e~"sou hcfSheht shippinS Witnln the
l,ast three years TO the extent which
ordinarily would not have been de-
veloped throughout n quarter OF q
century had not Germany's submarine
warfare destroyed tonnage in guam
titles 90 vast as to create a crisis in
The worlds maritime situation. This
tuiidlng Of cargo ships which will re-
store the American flag to the seven
keas In today only In It's infancy. and
tho preparing OF young men to take
thsir places as sailors and officers on
shess vessels. and on those which are
10 come. In the problem which the
United states Shipping Board has
agreed to solve. through Sea Train
Ing Bureau established by its Recruit
ing Service.
y. The work OF this sea training bu-
reNu was actually put under way on
January 1. Beginning April 1 it will
sraduate into the nations merchant
morfne about fifty boys daily. Seventy
I'VE boys were transformed from farm
hands. store clerks and others of CIV
ihan character into sailors during a
period OF training which, terminated
February 2s-the first group of 5O.-
200 which the Shipping Board plans
20 place In active service. This nat
fional system or training landlubbers
Into seamen in in operation for the
nrpt time In Americas history.
The United States Shipping Board
u not basing its system OF training on
war conditions. Millions OF tons of
. new shipping will go into commission
vfder the American flag during the
nPHt two years end the cry Man the
neR ships" must be answered by
thousands OF American boys who lived
fNs from, the seacoasts. according to
Eugene +. O'Donnell. the Shipping
Boards Supervisor OF Sea Training.
New England boys. including many
runaways. FIRST responded to this call
because the national headquarters of
the Sea Training Bureau was estab-
lished at Boston. The age limits wero
then II and "a years. Later they were
changed to 81 and 80 years.
The United States Shipping Board
chartered from the Eastern Steamship
Company last December the steamer
Calvin Austin. formerly In passenger
service between Boston and Atlantic
ports farther north. subsequently u |
sister ship. the Governor Dingley. was
taken into this service. The Meade,
once an army transport. may become
the next unit OF this fleet: and an
rouncement Is made that, with the |
establishment OF a training station at
San francisco. the Princeton, a Unit |
ed states gunboat. will be taken over. |
AZ the system expands. other ships |
viii be chartered for service along the |
Pacific coast. and there will be ves-
sells for the Gulf Coast.
Life on board one OF these training
ships combines instruction and play. |
AZ y a. m. the 600 boys at present OH
tho Calvin Austin arise and tidy their
rooms. Breakfast and general work
takes up their time until $40. when
discipline and instruction begin. Then
comes inspection. boat drill, "clean-
up and dinner ut noon. Fire drill, |
seamanship. boat drill. knot making
md general work occupy the after
noon hours until supper. In the even
ing the boys have rccrcation--cards.
dominoes. moving pictures. shower
peths' singing, sometimes shore leave.
~ nine o'clock the recruits turn i'm.
The boys receive better food. Il may
DC stated. than they may expect to re-
eeive on many OF the merchantmen on
which they will serve in later years.
IL Is ample and nutritious The Hoov-
or program Is observed by the chefs.
AT Boston. Stanton II. King basl
the only war Job of its kind. King is
omc'ai chantie man of the new mer-
chant marine. AT the weekly enter
tainment which the recruits oniov
ashore at Boston. they are instructed
by King In the ballads of the sea. Al.
though a majority of the recruits will
serve on the steamers, some viii, shin
on sailing vessels; chantie singing ,s
considered 10 be valuable for botb
classes OF men. as 1t insures teamwork
when a crew Is pulling on ropes
BLOW the Man Down." which came
from the Atlantic sailing packet ships
OF old. and SHENANDOAH ARE among
the favorites with these recruits
Whila the recrIlIf,a inh Ia o. ,.nl,,., |