Year: 1874

The schoolship Mercury.


There is a rumor that the Nautical School
attached to the Department of Charities and
Correction is to be discontinued and the
Schoolship Mercury sold. 1t is to be hoped
that the rumor is unfounded If reduction
of the expenditures of the department is
necessary it should not be made in this direc.
ton. The Nautical School, which was estab-
lished by an act Of the State Legislature
passed in 1868, has proved very useful por-
ton of the reformatory division Of the depart
ment. It's object is to give street boys, other
wise unprovided for, an education that viii fit
them for the sea, and by this means, while
preventing crime, to furnish good ordinary
seamen to the United States Navy and to the
merchant service. The statistics prove that
the school has fully justified the expectations
formed of its usefulness Since 1870
over two thousand boys have been
received on board the Mercury. Of these the
greater number were entirely destitute Of
home and friends, or go wild and unrestrain-
able as to be considered incorrigible. If they
had not been assigned to the schoolship they
must have passed in due course of time into
the penitentiaries or State prisons There
they would have enjoyed but little oppor-
port while on the schoolship they have had
an incentive to work and prospect opening
up before them of happy and an honorable
future. The statistics of the department
show that large portion Of the boys thus
received have passed from the school into
bers Of society. Between four and five hun
dred of them have shipped as sailors, and, SO
far as they could be kept track Of, have done
good credit to their training.


Taking the last fifteen months the statistics
show the following results:-


Number discharged from the Mercury. 200
or which there were shipped as sallOrs.... IS


Taken back by parents as reformed. ll5


Not accounted ior owing to changes OF


residence or errors IN addleSs.....,...... 38


It thus appears that ninety per cent of
those discharged have turned from their
former vicious habits, and either gone back
to their homes or joined the profession for
which they have been trained It must be
remembered, too, that the course Of instruc-
ton on Hart's Island and on board tho
schoolship is not confined to the mere
fitting of boy to serve before the mast,
but contemplates his future prefermeut
in his profession. While the practical expert
ence on board the Mercury teaches smart
boy rapidly the ordinary duties of seaman
and fits him to enter the navy or the mercan-
tile service the higher branches Of navigation
are not neglected Trips have been made by
the schoolship, during which the more ad-
vanced and promising scholars were instructed
in navigation, and it has been found that
many of them can determine the position of
ship at sea as accurately as the officers in COM
mand. The higher advantages of the reform
atory school are proved by the fact that one
of its graduates is now in-command Of ship,
while two others fill the responsible positions
Of first and second mate.


The Mercury is q ship of twelve hundred
tons burden. In her short trips at sea in the
summer and in her longer winter cruises she
has been handled by six able-bodied seamen
only in addition to the pupils. The expense
Of her maintenance is, therefore, compara-
lively triaing when the good accomplished is
considered, and it would be very short
sighted and reprehensible economy to aban-
don the system. The Commissioners Of
Charities and Correction can find some
method of saving money more honorable to
themselves and less injurious to the public
interests.