The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-03-22
AMERICAN SHIPPING
VASTLY INCREASED
Has Grown at Rate Which Would Not
Have Been Equalled in Quarter of
a Century Under Other
Conditions.

New York March %. - America has
created merchant shipping within the
: past three years 10 the extent which
ordinarily would not have been deyel.
, oped throughout a quarter of century
had not Germany's submarine warfare
DESTROYED tonnage in quantities so vast
MS TO create a crisis in the worlds mari.
time situation. This building of cargo
ships which will restore the American
flag to the seven seas is to-day only in
its infancy, and the preparing of young
men to take their places as sailors and
officers these vessels, and on those
which are to come, is the problem which
the United States shipping board has
agreed TO solve, through sea training
bureau established by its recruiting sery-
ice.
The work of this sea training bureau
was actually put under way on Jan. |.
Beginning April it will graduate into
the nations merchant marine about 80
boys daily. Seyenty.five boys were
transformed from farm hands, store
clerks and Others of civilian character
into sailors during period of training
which terminated Feb. 26-the first
group of 10000 which the shipping board
plans to place in active service. This
national system of turning landlubbers
into seamen is in operation for the first
time in Americas history.
The United States shipping board is
not basing its system of training on war
conditions. Millions of tons of new ship
! ping will go into commission under the
American flag during the next two years
and the cry Man the new ships!" must
| be answered by thousands of American
| boys who lived far from the seacoasts,
according to Eugene Il. ODonnell the |
shipping boards supervisor of sea train
ing.
New England boys including many
runaways, first responded to this call be- |
cause the national headquarters of the
sea training bureau was established at I
q years. Later they were changed TO |
ri and 80 years.
The United States shipping board
chartered from the Eastern Steamship
company last December the steamer Cal
vim Austin, formerly in passenger serv-
ice between Boston and Atlantic ports
farther north. Subsequently sister
ship, the Governor Dingley, was taken
into this service. The Meade, once an
army transport, may become the next
unit of this feet; and announcement is
made that, with the establishment of a
training station at San Francisco, the
Princeton, United States gunboat, will
be taken over As the system expands,
other ships will be chartered for service
along the Pacific coast, and there will be
vessels for the gulf coast.
Life on board one of these training
ships combines instruction and play. At
6 a. m the 600 boys at present on the
Calvin Austin arise and tidy their
rooms Breakfast and general work
take up their time until $50, when dis
cipline and instruction begin. Then
comes inspection, boat drill, cleanup
and dinner at noon. Fire drill, seaman
ship, boat drill, knot making and general
work occupy the afternoon hours until
supper. In the evening the boys have
ecreation-cards, dominoes, moving pic
lures shower baths, singing, sometimes
shore leave. At 8 O'Clock the recruits
turn in.
The boys receive better food, it may
De stated, than they may expect to re-
,eive on many of the merchantmen ON
which they will serve in later years. 1t
5 ample and nutritious. The Hoover
program is observed by the chefs
At Boston, Stanton H. King has the
,nlv war lob of its kind. King is official
hantie man of the new merchant ma
inc. AT the weekly entertainment which
he recruits enjoy ashore at Boston, they
ire instructed by King in the ballads of
he sea- Although a ma jority of the
eeruits will serve on steamers, some
will ship on sailing vessels; ehant;e singN
No is considered to be valuable for both
lasses of men, as it insures teamwork
rhen crew is pulling on ropes. BLOW
he Man Down" which came from the
atlantic sailing packet ships of old and
are among the favorites
nth these recruits.
While the recruits job is a volunteer
ne. he signs articles" for the duration
the war, agreeing to serve under the
-nited States shipping board. If he is
( draft age. he is automatically exempt
rom military service. The government
laces him on ship, when he has com
leted his training in some position
e has preferred or for which he has
lown particular aptitude-seaman, fire.
IAN, coaler. oiler, water tender. cook OF
.eward Six weeks of training on the
assels of the Calvin Austin type quail
- him for service on a merchantmen, =
it'll his legal status assured
After two wears Of service subsequent DO
, his graduation the recruits may enter No
ie Of the shipping boards free schools thi
navigation. Of which 30 are in opera We
on along the coasts and At the Great pr
axes. and here he NAV fl himself for -
ficers' licenses. rising in a few years
the command Of a vessel while stiu in
5 early twenties. During his training
, the Calvin Austin and other vessels
this fleet the recruits receives SO
onth.
This merchant marine viii BE- thor
-rhlv American. Only Americans are !
s,erted a. recruits The new mercan-
e feet yin not have Spanish mess L