By Lieut. George R. Clark, U. S. Navy*
The recent wise step made by Congress in giving to the Navy two thousand more enlisted men should call attention to the importance of having an adequate training service for our "man behind the gun." In 1879 England employed one-eleventh of her commissioned officers on training duty, while to-day we devote one officer in thirty-seven to that service. Again, England finds work for one-eighth of her warrant officers in that important field, while we give to it one in nineteen.
It has not required all of a two years' experience in the training service to show me that everything possible has been done with the limited means at hand; but when it is remembered that the only cruising vessels now available for this work are the Essex and the Alliance, it will be seen that the means at hand for keeping up our supply of 1500 boys are clearly inadequate.
Naturally, the first thought is to turn to Congress and ask for two or three vessels designed with a view to the special needs of the service; but that would take much time and not a little pleading, and meanwhile the men and boys are being enlisted.
If the Bering Sea trouble should straighten itself out enough to allow the Pacific Squadron to be reduced, I think it would relieve the situation to send around the Adams and the Marion (or Iroquois), fit them out with modern batteries like those of the Essex and the Alliance and add them to the squadron. They would then be in a condition to render effective aid on regular cruising duty when needed.
With this addition the number of boys carried by each of the smaller ships could be reduced from 108 to 90, thus giving more room and adding to the comfort of all on board. As thus formed the squadron could readily train, in two cruises a year, all the boys from the Newport station, the average yearly enlistments there being about 720. If we could carry out this idea, and add the Lancaster as a gunnery ship, making short trips of a week's length from Newport, and serving as a "reservoir," so to speak, for the newly enlisted landsmen and boys returned from other vessels, we would have, at least, a step forward.
I would suggest that the four vessels be directed to cruise together in charge of the senior commanding officer, making a summer cruise to the Azores, Gibraltar, Madeira and Yorktown from July to November, and a winter cruise to the West Indies from January to May; November and May of each year being devoted wholly to target practice either at Yorktown or Gardiner's Bay, and December and June to be spent in port refitting.
The plan of visiting foreign ports excites the interest of the boys, increases their desire for further sea-going, and thus satisfies them with a service which they find has its compensations and rewards. In this, too, the commanding officer is furnished with a system of rewards and punishments in the granting or withholding of shore privileges, which can be used with good effect.
The practice in signals and the emulation and interest in drills and exercises generally that would result from squadron sailing could not fail to be of great benefit.
The key to success in training apprentices is to excite their interest. This once done, the rest is plain sailing.
A month of each cruise would not be too much to devote to exercises on shore and to target practice, for I think all will agree that, after all, the main thing in the training of men is to teach them "to fire at something and hit it." And, happily, this is something in which boys take a great interest and show gratifying progress after a very little instruction. A glance at the target report of the Navy for the quarter ending June 30th, 1894, will show that the Essex, with a crew of boys, stood No, 3 in a total of nine vessels. Among the first ten in a total of 258 firing, seven were Essex boys, each with a final merit of 100 or over. Among the first 64 were 40 boys from the same ship. This satisfactory showing was made at their first trial. If each draft of boys could be allowed at least two practices even better results could be obtained.
The subject of target practice may be considered the most important, with boats and signals following in the order named.
In regard to the methods of instruction and routine at sea and in port, a close observation of the methods employed convinces me that the principle of continuous instruction in one branch for a considerable length of time is the best. Those who "go down to the sea in training ships" know that it is difficult to make a boy think, and the next best thing is to employ what may be called the method of "reiteration"; that is, to keep at one subject until the boy gets it by absorption, so to speak. His thinking gear will gradually get in order as he grows older.
The truth of this is shown by our exercise at reefing topsails. This work is done six times a week without fail during the whole cruise, and even the dullest boys show a skill at the work that is encouraging.
Of this Commodore Bunce has said: "Training apprentices is best done by the repetition of facts until they are impressed on the memory, and in the repetition of acts until facility in doing them is acquired."
Speaking of this subject in a recent report to my commanding officer I said: "This principle of continuous instruction in one branch should be extended to the general routine at sea, where the time covering the whole cruise should be divided into five equal parts: the first devoted to sails, spars, compass and log; the second to marline-spike work and sail-making; the third to signals; the fourth to a review, and the fifth month to target practice. A half-hour each day to be given to gunnery."
This would carry out the principle as nearly as possible with a due regard to the number of subjects to be covered and the length of the cruise.
Again quoting from report: "The time spent on training ships should be regarded more as a preparatory and less as a finishing period. If, in the short time allowed, a boy be taught the importance of prompt obedience to orders, the general principles of discipline, the elementary branches of his calling and the confidence and skill gained in work aloft and general ship duties, all will be done that should be expected. The rest should be left to the actual work and the association with older men that come with service on board the cruisers."
In this connection I suggest that so far as possible the boys be formed in one division on the cruisers, preferably at the secondary battery, in charge of a divisional officer and aid, who shall be responsible for their instruction and have general charge of them while on board. The instruction should be systematic and progressive.
An officer of one of the new cruisers recently remarked that the work of examining apprentices took a long time. When asked how many he had examined that day, he said "forty." On board the training ship it takes a week to examine that number.
I know that I have laid down no elaborate plan, but if these few disconnected remarks attract any attention to this important subject they will have served their purpose.
In conclusion I cannot do better than to quote from Commodore Chadwick's report on the training system of France:
"The necessity of so training these men is clearly felt by the officers of the French navy in general; without this widespread feeling much of the instruction given in training schools, however perfect, must go for naught."
*U. S. Training Ship Essex.