He died at New York City, N. Y., on the 4th of March, 1858.
VI.
THE NAVAL APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM.
Matthew C. Perry may be called the founder of the apprenticeship system in the United States Navy, however much the present improved methods may differ from his own. He was the first officer to attempt a systematic improvement on the hap-hazard and costly method of recruiting formerly in vogue. Under the old plan, one-fourth the men and boys picked up at random became invalided or were discharged as unfit. It took four month’s work at five recruiting stations to get a crew for the “North Carolina.” The daily average of recruits at five stations, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Norfolk and Baltimore, was but seven, at the utmost, and could not be increased without bounties. Perry’s experience at recruiting stations prompted him to a thorough study of the subject, and attempt at reform. He addressed the Department on this theme as early as 1823. In a letter of eleven pages, dated January 25, 1824, a model of clearness and strength, he elaborated his idea of providing crews for men-of-war by naval apprentices properly educated. He proposed that a thousand apprentices be engaged yearly, saving in expense of pay (from $792,000 to $462,000) the sum of $330,000. He suggested withholding the ration of spirits for the first two years of indenture, so that a further saving of $43,800, and total saving $373,800, would be secured.
In this paper he treats the problem of the great difficulty, delay and expense of obtaining men for our naval service, which becomes greater in time of hostilities. This was shown in the war of 1812 when large bounties were offered. The sea-faring population of the United States had not increased since 1810. Whereas there had been in 1810, 71,238 seamen, there were in 1821 only 64,948. In case of another war, the merchant ships should not be suffered to rot in port as in 1812, but ought to pursue their usual voyages. Hence merchant ships would want sailors, and when there was considered the number wanted for that popular branch of speculation—privateering, he feared that few would be left for the public service, unless exorbitant pay and bounties were given as inducements for enlisting. Owing to the decay of the New England carrying trade, and the fisheries, the sources for sea-faring men had dried up; and it was easier to get ships than men. Even in New York a sloop’s crew was unobtainable in less than twenty days. If this were so, how hard would it be to equip a fleet!
The remedy proposed was to receive boys as apprentices to serve until of age and to be educated and clothed by the government. Such a system would be a blessing to society. It would reform bad and idle boys, and create in a numerous class of men attachment to the naval service, besides raising up warrant and petty officers of native birth. These at present were mostly foreigners. Boys shipped only for two years; they then got discharged and perhaps went roaming on distant voyages all over the earth, losing the discipline they had acquired. There was no difficulty to get boys in New York. The city alone could supply five hundred annually, and the city corporations would assist the plan. “Experience proves that these lads do well. The very spirit which prompts them to youthful indiscretion gives them a zest for the daring and adventurous life to which they are called in our ships of war.”
With characteristic tenacity, he returned to the subject in a letter to the Department, January 10 1835, giving the results of further studies. One half of all the men enlisted for the navy came from the New York rendezvous. From April 2d, 1828 to October 14, 1834, there were enlisted 17 petty officers, 2,335 seamen, 1,174 ordinary seamen, 842 landsmen and 414 boys, a total of 4,782, or 19 a week. Nearly ten months were necessary to get 750 men, the crew of a line-of-battle ship, twenty weeks to furnish a frigate with 380 men, and eight weeks to enlist 150 men for a sloop of war.
Perry noticed another glaring defect in the system, and wrote September 25, 1841, concerning frauds on the government, by men enlisting in the navy getting advance pay and then deserting. Parents connived at enlistment, and often got off “minors” by habeas corpus writs, and the government thus lost both the recruit and the advance money. The same trouble had been found in the British navy. Native-born men enlisted, got advance pay, and then claimed alien birth. Perry consulted with the district attorney as to how to stop this practice.
While on the Fulton, Perry returned to his idea of perfecting the apprenticeship system first suggested by him. He asked permission to have his letters of 1823 and 1824 copied for him by Dr. Du Barry, that he have authority to increase the complement of the Fulton as vacancies should occur, and to employ as many as the vessel would accommodate. His requests were finally granted. The law of Congress passed in March or April 1847, authorizing the apprenticeship system, was the result of his persistent presentation of his own plan elaborated in 1824.
Seventeen indentured apprentices were received, and a daily school on board the Fulton was instituted, in which the lads who proved apt to learn were taught the English branches, seamanship, war exercises, and partially the operations of the steam engine. After one year’s experience, Perry wrote July 8th, 1839, reporting that the boys already performed all the duties of many men. They gave less trouble and were more to be depended upon. While the utmost vigilance of officers was required to prevent desertions of sailors on account of the near allurements of the great city, the boys with a greater attachment were more to be trusted.