About Naval Schools.
Bert Cunnington, who lives in Arkansas, Reed Kohl, a New York city member, and Fred P. Jackson, who lives in a Baltimore suburb, ask about St. Mary's school-ship and naval apprentices. All get the various naval schools well confused. That they do so is no great wonder, since the provisions governing them are new, and have recently been changed. We will try to make these naval matters clear. In the first place, the United States Naval Academy, at Annapolis, is a school where men are trained to become officers in our navy. Indeed, entrance to the academy is at the same time entrance to our navy—naval cadet, and so on up, without leaving the United States service at graduation.
Entrance to this academy is had only through members of Congress—through the member from your district, Mr. Jackson. Representatives Baker, Rusk, and Cowen represent Baltimore.
Only one cadet from each district may be at the academy at a time. You must wait for a vacancy. Residents of other districts must address their member of Congress, or the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, who will give information about vacancies. The President of the United States has ten appointments—not annually, but may keep ten cadets at the academy. These cadetships are usually assigned to sons of naval officers. The Annapolis Academy was removed to Newport, R. I., for a time during the civil war. That is why, possibly, you get the naval apprenticeship school at Newport and the naval academy confused.
Naval apprenticeships have nothing whatever to do with the Annapolis Academy. They are enlistments for young men above fifteen and not above eighteen years of age, who may remain in the navy till they are twenty-one. These boys must have the full consent of parents or guardians, be of good character—for apprenticeships are not to reform bad characters—be sound of body, and be able to read and write English. Having been sworn in, they are sent on board naval vessels, where they are given the elements of a common-school education and taught naval seamanship. That is, they knot, splice, hitch, and bend rope; sew canvas; head, reef, and furl sail; learn the use of the various gear in standing and running rigging; become acquainted with the terms for the different parts of the ship; practise military tactics, broadside exercise, rifle drill; and learn how to fire the great guns, to row, and to swim.
Apprentices are enlisted as "third-class boys," and receive $9.50 a month. There is no condition from what part of the United Slates they come. They receive their board free. Their clothing is provided by the paymaster of the ship to which they are assigned and charged against their pay. There is a possible promotion to $11.50 a month. These apprentices never become line-officers, but may rise only to warrant-officer, gunner, or boat-swain. Warrant-officers are retired at sixty-two, as are other officers, and receive thereafter a fair proportion of their duty pay as an annuity. Apprenticeship recruiting stations are at New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Address "Recruiting Station for Naval Apprentices, Navy-yard," and add the city and State.
Wholly distinct from either of the foregoing are the various school-ships. These are not owned by the national government, but by cities, and are under the control of the boards of education. The Saratoga is located at Philadelphia, and the St. Mary's at New York. Address "Executive Committee, Nautical School." To join the St. Mary's applicants must be residents of the city of New York. They must also be of good character, and between sixteen and twenty years of age; $30 is required as an entrance fee, and a large number of personal necessities, as clothing, thread, needles, etc. The course covers two years of two terms each, with two summer cruises. The St. Mary's spends part of the year at the foot of Twenty-eighth Street, East River, New York, a part in Long Island Sound, and the cruises are usually to the coast of Europe and Mediterranean ports.
Rules governing the Saratoga are similar to those governing the St. Mary's. Graduates of these nautical schools look about them for positions just as do graduates of other schools. The New York Board of Education say: "The passage of the 'Postal Subsidy Bill,' requiring all vessels receiving such subsidy to be officered by Americans, and to carry a cadet for each 1000 tons burden, enables graduates of this school to obtain a situation upon graduation, where the education obtained at this school will be of great advantage to them. Graduates of this school, with few exceptions, are competent to navigate a vessel, understanding thoroughly dead-reckoning, and how to find the latitude and longitude by the sun, moon, planets, or stars; they are also taught the duties of seamen, they have practice in handling a sailing vessel, in steering, heaving the lead, in handling boats, both under oars and sails, the rule of the road, and in fact everything that may assist in their advancement in the profession they have chosen."