[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—I have welcomed in the columns of the Spectator the letters under the above heading by Mr. Sullen (February 4th and 25th) and Major Meredith (March 4th). As my name has been mentioned as the author of "a scheme" for a sea-going training ship, service in which was to follow the course on one of the stationary training ships, thus taking, to a certain extent, the place of the present system of apprenticeship, I would venture to trespass on the hospitality of your space for a few remarks. Mercantile marine nautical authorities are practically unanimous that training in a sailing vessel is an essential qualification for the deck officer of an ocean steamer. The Americans, Germans, Belgians, Spaniards, and Austrians all recognise this, and all have sailing training vessels more or less subsidised and controlled by Government. We in England, who are wholly dependent on our mercantile marine for our welfare and prosperity, do not recognise this, and, it seems, cannot be brought to recognise it. In the past the supply of officers for the mercantile marine has been largely maintained by apprentices from sailing vessels ; but the system of apprenticeship remains where it was twenty years ago, if it has not gone back, and shows little sign of marching with modern ideas. To add to this, the number of sailing vessels flying the British flag is slowly but gradually diminishing. The mercantile marine should offer a good field for employment for the sons of our upper middle class, and would do so to a much greater extent than now if it were not for what, to the parents at any rate, are the unknown terrors of the three years' apprentice- ship. Ocean steamers are growing bigger and faster year by year, and the responsibility resting upon the shoulders of the commanders and officers of these leviathans does not grow lighter. Is it not time that we, the greatest maritime nation of the world, should follow the example set us by Our
neighbours and adopt a carefully thought out system of nautical training for the mercantile marine, which should embrace the time from which a boy leaves school till he is fit to become a full-fledged officer Out of sight is out of mind, so the young Briton on the sea has to fight his own battle as best he may. Of the millions spent on education in the British Isles, not a penny goes to help those who are following their country's natural calling. The most that is done is the establishment of one or two municipal cram shops to make up a little for the deficiencies of training facilities afloat.- Commander School Ship Conway.'
Rock Ferny, Cheshire.
[We cannot publish any more letters on this subject.— BD. Spectator.]
Previous page
