New-York tribune., 1921-02-25
Ship Men Urge
Miller to Save
Nautical School
Need for Institution ana
Outline of Work Done for
u. :. Marine Interests Re-
lated by C.. A. McAllister
Backers to Visit Albany
Commercial Men to Help in
Campaign; Alumni viii
Discuss Case Tomorrow

ANY effort on the part Of the state
administration to abolish the New York
State Nautical School from the budget,
in line with Governor Miller's economy
program, will be met with a storm of
protest from shipping and commercial
men, 1t was said yesterday
In anticipation of such move. said
to be inferred from an investigation
being conducted by Senator Charles j.
Hewitt, chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, Captain J. S. Baylis, super
intendent of the school, members of
the board of governors and others are
preparing to call on Governor Miller
at Albany for the purpose of making
clear to him the need for such school.
The first wave of disapproval Of any
proposal to abandon the training ship
Newport rolled up yesterday in the
form OF letter addressed to Governor
Miller by C. A. McAllister, vice-presi-
dent of the American Bureau of Ship
ping.
Cites Need of School
Mr.. McAllisses wrote, in part:
I'VE are in hearty accord with your
general policy regarding retrenchment,
but we are decidedly of the opinion
that the abolition of this nautical
school would be fatal mistake for the
following reasons:
1.-THE general prosperity of the
city and state depends upon the main
tenance of our national merchant
marine
"2-There is the greatest need of
trained Americans to command and
officer our ships, as we are to-day COM
PEELED to employ large numbers Of
aliens and foreign-b born citizens in such
capacities.
''4--lt costs much less than half to
turn out an officer from this state
school than it does for the Federal
government to educate its officers for
the navy and coast guard.
"5--ApproXimately one-half the for
eign commerce OF the United States rs
transacted Through the 7 rt vi irc"
York. AS matter of self-lnterest, as
well as a matter of state PRIDE, 1t is
incumbent upon US to contribute TINS
school training to our young men, IN
order to advance the interests OF the
merchant marine.
"6-This organization, chartered u.n-
der the laws Of this state, is nov the
official classification society of the
United States government, NHd we m" &c
this appeal on the behalf of the Amer
lean merchant marine as we'll as on
behalf of state organization"
IN recent letter to Commodore
I,ouig M. Josephthal. naval aid OF Gov
ernor Miller, Marcus II. Tracy, chairman
of the board of governors OF the Scnooi
which serves without CONF hSa1lo'i
Doints out that since the establshmeH'
of the school, in 1875, there nave pGeI peer
more than 5000 young men enrolled
and trained for a seafaring career and
that Of this number more than l,3O9
we're graduated with credit, many OF
them passing through all ranks Of the
nrofession and now holding POSITIONS
Of importance in the maritime world
or REPRESENTING the industry in foreign
countries.
Appropriation Requested
The budget committee already has
trimmed 10 per cent from the schooIs
request for an appropriation OF $lO9,-
383 for the next fiscal year.
Cost to the state for maintaining the
school for the last fiscal car was $60,-
348.2l, although the appropriation was
sos $50. The surplus fund was made
up of the 900 annually contributed
BY the Federal government and $10,-
281.79 uneXpended.
The board of governors consist of
representatives of the Chamber OF
Commerce of the State of New York,
Maritime Exchange, Marine Society,
New York Board Of Trade and Trans
portation, National Board of Steam
Navigation, Alumni Association, New
York Nautical School, Chamber of Com
merce of Albany and Chamber of Com
merce of Buffalo.
The matter will be discussed by the
alumni at their annual dinner to-mor-
row night at the Hotel Comm odore.