Fourth—Take up splicing and knotting—eye splice, short splice, long splice, crown and wall knot, lanyard knot and manrope knot. Instruct the learner how to worm, parcel and serve a rope; how to put on a seizing; how to pass the head earing on a sail; how to put on a ratline; how to make plain sennit and paunch mats, and explain their uses.
Fifth—Give the pupils a thorough drilling in the loosing, setting, taking in, reefing and furling of the sails; in bracing the yards; in catting and fishing the anchors; in pulling boats and handling of oars; in sending the lighter spars down on deck and up again, and such other maneuvers as are generally recognized as necessary to the safe navigation of ships. In fact, these drills might, with great benefit to the learners, alternate daily with the instruction in the other details of seamanship.
A willing, healthy young fellow, who has gone through a course of training as outlined above, will, with two or three months of actual seafaring behind him, be well worth his keep and wages as a sailor. The experience he will then be daily gaining will soon fill up the gaps in his nautical education necessarily left by his hurried training ship instruction, till in another year or two he will have developed into a full-fledged able seaman. If he then chooses to take up with "fancy work"—and they usually do—all good and well. But safety first. And safety for a man before the mast lies in knowing how to perform in a shipshape manner the daily, prosaic, everyday routine duties of an able seaman.
The laws governing the American Seaman, in which are incorporated the laws known as the "Seamen's Act," follow. They are of interest to every one who is governed by them. Laws are made to provide for the proper regulation of our affairs, and no matter how wordy, the intent is to uphold recognized authority, and be just to all—sea lawyers take notice.
CHAPTER XXIV
U. S. NAVIGATION LAWS GOVERNING MERCHANT SEAMEN
Definitions.
In the construction of this Title [R. S., 4501-4613], every person having the command of any vessel belonging to any citizen of the United States shall be deemed to be the "master" thereof; and every person (apprentices excepted) who shall be employed or engaged to serve in any capacity on board the same shall be deemed and taken to be a "seaman;" and the term "vessel" shall be understood to comprehend every description of vessel navigating on any sea or channel, lake or river, to which the provisions of this Title may be applicable, and the term "owner" shall be taken and understood to comprehend all the several persons, if more than one, to whom the vessel shall belong. (R. S., 4612.)
Exemption for militia duty.
Pilots, mariners actually employed in the sea service of any citizen or merchant within the United States, and all persons who are exempted by the laws of the respective States or Territories shall be exempted from militia duty, without regard to age. (Jan. 26, 1903; sec. 2.)