Evening star., 1938-09-11
SEAMEN T0TRA|N
ON 0NSQUARE-R|GCER
u. S. Is Mobi|izing JobIess
Seamen to Build Up
Merchant Marine.
By WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY

BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.
In an atmosphere of the days when
iron men" went to sea, under whis-
tling rigging and Mapping canvas, the
United States Maritime Commission
plans to develop a personnel to aid
in the move to place the United States
merchant marine in its rightful top
place on the seas.
Unemployed seamen are being mo-
bilised. Any softness which they may
have developed through periods Of
unemployment will be remedied
through scaling masts and manning
yards during a gale.
But no lendlubbers can 60 into
this new maritime service, for in
order to enter they must have had at
least two years of service and they
must have been at sea at least seven
months in the last two years.
It Is a new system for training, a
practice which has more or less
passed into history with the advance
Of steel ships Of steam power. But
the maritime experts on seamanship
have concluded there is no better Way
to build up a vigorous personnel than
aboard the square riggers. It makes
them more agile and better amenable
to discipline and co-ordinated work,
for when the canvas is to be furled
or unfurled or sail shortened in a gale
1t is an all hands" job when every
one must do his part and at the right
time.
Log Full Of History.
The training will be done aboard
an old square rigger-one with a back
ground. She made her first appear
ance yesterday under full sail at the
International Iifeboat Races at Bay
Ridge, Brooklyn. N. Y, when the
lifeboat crews of six nations pulled
1,600-pound across the finish line
where the new training ship, Joseph
Conrad, was anchored.
Her old log is full of history, detail
ing voyages to Rio. Bali, Singapore,
Sydney, Tahiti and New York. She is
gift to the Government from Hunt
ington Hartford Of New York and
Newport, R. I.
The Joseph Conrad was built in
1882 by Burmeister & Vain at Copen-
hagen. Denmark She was originally
built as a training ship, to which she
has just returned after a half century
OF service, by Georg Stage, Danish
philanthropist. In 1905 she was run
down and sunk by steamer in the
sound outside of Copenhagen. Raised
the following year. she was rebuilt and
equipped with water-tight bulkheads
which have made her virtually un-
sinkable
From then until 1884 she continued
as training school for Danish youths,
many Of whom have become promi-
nent in the merchant marine service
OF their country. In that year she was
replaced by another vessel of the same
name and was about to be sold by
Denmark for scrap when she was pur-
chased by Allan Villiers, now a promi-
nent author, who had had experience
in sailing the grain ships" to Aus
tralia.
s7,S00-Mile Voyage.
He renamed her the Joseph Conrad,
sailing across the English Channel to
England, registering her under the
British flag, and recruiting a crew Of
various nationanties for q round-the-
world cruise.
After voyage of 555 days. cover
ing $1,000 miles. the vessel sailed into
New York Harbor on October 16, 1896.
There the British flag was hauled
down and Mr.. Hartford purchased her,
later using her as yacht until he
presented her to the Government. She
is lat feet 6 inches overall, 2l2 gross
tons
Aboard this ship the licensed and
unlicepsed personnel will receive
their training under Coast Guard Of
f1cers and men. But there will be no
military obligation imposed on enroll
ment. The men will be taken on pro-
baton for six months, and then If it
is found they have the making of sea-
men. they will be enrolled regularly.
During the time they are serving they
will be graded according to the same
ratings as officers and men in the
Coast Guard.
In addition to the active-duty pay.
each man will receive a clothing outfit
upon enrolment and will be provided
quarters and subsistence.