Once the man new to the service is put aboard ship, he is swallowed up in a large ship’s company, and there is not time enough to teach him the rudiments of seamanship and naval life and duty. On a big ship he must learn gunnery. On smaller ships he is kept busy mule-hauling. On most ships, as soon as it becomes apparent that a boy knows little and is slow to learn, the petty officers take little interest in him and the most responsible and instructive work that he is given is sweeping the deck and handling stores.
The ideal place to train sailormen was the old training ship. Now that we have no regular ships set aside for that purpose the next best thing appears to be the obsolete battleship, used as I will attempt to outline later in this article.
On ships with small complements, where the new men can be carefully watched, and the backward ones put under the watchful eye of a good petty officer, these unpromising youths can often be worked and moulded into excellent men and good petty officer material in a remarkably short time.
A training scheme of the commanding officer of one of the battleships was recently published to the service, in which it was explained that the system used on this particular ship was to organize men new to the service into a training division with special instructors, and to keep them in that division until they had received sufficient instruction to enable them to be of some use in a regular unit of the ship’s organization. This appears to be an excellent method, and about the only satisfactory one under the present conditions. This article suggests for the purpose of training recruits, an obsolete battleship or an armored cruiser from which all guns have been removed. In the first stages of training the raw material, gunnery is not essential. That will come later on the active ship. One of these training ships should be securely anchored or moored in the stream off each naval training station. If practicable, the ship should be at least one half mile from any landing. The equipment and fittings for this ship are suggested to be as follows:
Boats: Along both sides of the ship should be fitted as many sets of standard boat davits as can be conveniently placed. There should be a standard whaleboat for each set of davits. The whaleboat is suggested because this type of boat is the only large pulling boat now used in the service, and because all pulling life boats are whaleboats.
Two fifty-foot motor sailors for handling stores.
Two sailing launches for being towed with stores, and for sailing.
One motor boat for the use of officers.
The number of power boats is reduced because it is proposed to teach the recruits rowing and sailing by making guard trips, mail trips, and all ordinary trips where haste is not of first importance, in boats under oars or sails.
Winches: The regular cranes should be used for hoisting the large boats. It is preferable to hoist the whaleboats by hand, but leads to the deck winches may be arranged for emergency use.
Steering Gear: An instruction wheel of full size on the bridge, not to be connected with the ship’s steering engine, but to be geared to a follow-the'-pointer system whereby the helmsman under instruction will be required to keep the ship’s head on a given course on a dummy compass card, the compass card being made to yaw irregularly by means of a motor and cams.
Watertight Doors, Watertight Hatches, Ports, Battle Ports, etc.: Each piece of special equipment, bulkhead, dog, etc.,
should be marked with its name, name of its principal parts, care of parts. For example, see the sketch of watertight door.
Mark Bulkheads:
- This is a watertight bulkhead.
- It is W. T. Bulkhead No. 6.
- It must never have any holes in it, except ports, doors, or scuttles which must be watertight when closed.
- Where rods, wires or pipes pass through, the fittings must be watertight.
Mark Every Tenth Frame:
- This is a transverse frame.
- It is frame No. 30.
Mark Ports:
- Air port.
- Keep rubber gasket, knife edges, dogs, free of oil and paint.
This general scheme of marking should be followed throughout the ship. 'The ship will look more like a museum than a man-of-war, but the signs should make an impression on the “woodenest” of men, and will probably have more effect than hours of talking. A few “Keep your feet off the paintwork,” “Put cigarette butts in spit kits,” and “Throw waste material in trash cans,” will help too. Also some “Never swing yourself or your hammock from pipes; to do so may cause dangerous steam, water or air leaks.” Safety precautions of every description should be posted throughout the ship. These safety precautions should be worded as simply as possible, and made up in forms easily read, and where applicable, illustrated.
Alain Division of Ship: The A, B, C, D, divisions of the ship should be plainly marked on the divisional bulkheads and frames. Also the decks and compartments should be marked with their numbers, with explanations as to why they are so numbered.
The Bridge: Outside of the special steering wheel, the bridge should have standard equipment, all well labelled and marked as to name, function, operation, and “don’ts.” In addition to the foregoing, the bridge lookout stations should have pointers painted on the deck to show the relative bearing of objects from the ship.
Lookout Stations: Should have pointers similar to those at the bridge stations, with instructions regarding duties of lookouts, how to report, etc.
The foregoing briefly suggests what steps should be taken with material in order to impress the men. Many other items will suggest themselves as the work of preparing the ship advances. It must be borne in mind that everything must be strictly regulation down to the minutest details, including painting. There should be a good rigging loft with sailmakers’ benches, instruction boards showing knots and splices, worming, parcelling, etc. Instruction boards for knots should be freely distributed throughout the living spaces, with jackstays close at hand for practice at odd times.
The personnel for manning these vessels will require very careful consideration. The officers required to come in close contact with the men under instruction should be selected for their ability to handle men, and for their fairness and their qualifications as disciplinarians.
The officer personnel should be:
One lieutenant commander—commanding officer; will also perform the duties of executive officer and be responsible to the commanding officer of the training station so far as personnel is concerned; will keep the enlistment records and sign records without reference to the commanding officer of the station; will have authority to make transfers to the station only, and full charge of all recruits on his ship. Courts-martial will be acted on by the commanding officer of the station.
One lieutenant—navigator, first lieutenant, and aide to executive officer.
One chief machinist—engineer officer.
Four line warrants or line chief warrant officers—division officers and instructors in charge; at least two of these warrant officers should be boatswains.
One lieutenant medical corps—medical officer.
One lieutenant or lieutenant (junior grade) supply corps— supply officer.
One pay clerk—assistant to supply officer.
One carpenter or chief carpenter—assistant to first lieutenant.
The petty officer material should be very carefully selected, the men being chosen for their alertness, ability to instruct, personal appearance and military bearing. Before being assigned to this duty they should be required to pass examinations so designed that their ability to instruct may be judged, the examinations to be conducted on board any of the training ships where officers competent to judge would be available to conduct the examinations.
Assuming that seven hundred recruits will be on the vessel at all times, the organization of the ship and the personnel distribution should be as follows. The ship’s company should be divided into twelve main divisions as follows:
1st division—Deck division, training.
2d division—Deck division, training.
3d division—Deck division, training.
4th division—Deck division, training.
5th division—Deck division, training.
6th division—Deck division, training.
7th division—Deck division, training.
8M—engines
8th division - 8B—boilers Engineer division.
8A—auxiliaries
8E—electrical
9th division—Supply division.
10th division-—C. and R. division, certain special branches, and men not connected with conducting training.
11th division—Medical division.
12th division—Navigator’s division.
Of the personnel, the men connected with training, with ship’s company only, and under instruction only, are as follows:
| Chief petty officers | Petty off. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class | Non-rated men not engineers | Non-rated men engineers | Recruits | Totals |
Instructors, or men connected with training | 7 | 43 |
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| 50 |
Ship’s company or men not connected with training | 12 | 150 | 54* | 40 |
| 256 |
Recruits for training |
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| 700 | 700 |
Totals | 19 | 193 | 54 | 40 | 700 | 1006 |
* Includes: Buglers, hospital apprentices, and officers’ stewards, cooks, and servants. |
This personnel of two hundred fifty-six men may be reduced by cutting down the stores to be carried and reducing the personnel in the ninth or supply division.
To go back to the time when the recruit first arrives on the training station, he will immediately be put in isolation, where he remains for three weeks in barracks. During this period he should receive all the instruction lie is to be given in infantry and other close order drills. As soon as this isolation period is completed, he should be sent to an assembly station awaiting transfer to the training ship.
While in isolation he should be issued his clothing and instructed along the following lines:
- How to care for clothes.
- How to lay out bags and bedding for inspection.
- Squad drill without arms, followed by squad drill under arms.
- Platoon and company drills.
- Military etiquette, salutes, etc.
- Discipline and duty.
- What the service offers, discharges, enlistments, re-enlistments, continuous service.
- Naval customs.
- What to expect when he goes aboard ship.
Daily physical drills under arms and without arms should be conducted. Swimming should be taught if practicable.
Every Monday a class of recruits should be sent to the training ship, and every Saturday a class graduated and sent to the clearing station awaiting transfers to sea duty. This means that awaiting the arrival on board of fresh recruits, there will be ready to receive them at least one officer, one chief boatswain’s mate, and six petty officers.
The names of the recruits having been sent to the training ship in advance of the draft, their station bills will be ready to hand to them, and a petty officer will be ready to take charge of each seventeen recruits. This petty officer should be their guide and shining example throughout their course on the ship.
Weeks | Subjects | Remarks |
FIRST | Familiarize recruits with ship, explaining ship life to them. Stations for emergency drills. Emergency drills. #8 Bag and hammock inspection. | Teach men things to keep them out of trouble. Show them over the ship, explaining everything, carefully station men for emergency drills the first week, emphasize thoroughness and orderliness in preference to speed. Teach men to scrub clothes and to keep themselves neat and clean. During this week get men ready to take up regular drills. |
SECOND | Marlinespike seamanship. Canvas. Heaving lines, and heaving the lead. Boats. Emergency drills. Bag and hammock inspection. Examination on week’s work. | Under marlinespike seamanship include securing boats, towing, etc. Under boats, give names of parts, types, gear, build, etc. |
THIRD | Marlinespike seamanship. Canvas. Deck seamanship. Duties of lookouts, and duties on watch. Bag and hammock inspection Emergency drills. Examination on week’s work. | Under deck seamanship take men to different parts of the ship and explain work of those parts. |
FOURTH | Boats under oars. Marlinespike seamanship. Sea watches. Bag and hammock inspections. Emergency drills. Examination on week’s work. | When sea watches are stood, put the men on sea watch as though they were on a ship under way. Have lookouts make reports same as at sea. |
FIFTH | Deck seamanship. Ground tackle. Compass, log and lead. Steering. Boats under oars. Bag and hammock inspection. Emergency drills. Examinations on week’s work. | Under steering, have men use dummy wheel on the bridge. |
SIXTH | Marlinespike and deck seamanship. Sea watches. Boats under sails. Bag and hammock inspections. Emergency drills. Examination on week’s work. |
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SEVENTH | Sea watches. Emergency drills. Examinations on whole course. Inspections preparatory to transfer. |
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The course of training should be progressive and intensive, and should be laved out in advance by weeks. A general outline of the suggested course follows:
Every Saturday the executive officer should issue to each instructor a detailed list of the subjects to be taught the following week. This will give the instructors opportunity to study out a line of attack. Daily routine for recruits should be planned as follows:
Time | Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays | Wednesdays | Fridays | Saturdays | Sundays |
0445 | (1) Call B. M’s, Bugler, PPO’s | (2) Same as column 1 | (3) Same as column 1 | (4) Same as column 1 | (5) Same as column 1 |
0500 | Reveille, lash and carry. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
0515 | Shower bath all hands. Coffee after shower. Physical drill | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
0615 | Turn to. Wash down. Clean up part of ship. | Same as column 1 | Turn to. Start field day, | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
0725 | Sound assembly. Fall in for mess. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
0730 | Pipe to breakfast. March to breakfast. Light smoking lamp. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
0815 | Turn to. Out smoking lamp. Clean up ship for quarters. Shine bright-work. | Same as column 1 | Turn to. Keep smoking lamp lighted. Continue field day to 1600. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
0900 | Knock off work. Shift into uniform for quarters. | Same as column 1 |
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| Same as column 1 |
0915 | Quarters for muster and inspection by division officer. | Same as column 1 |
| Quarters for muster and captain’s inspection. After inspection light smoking lamp. | Same as column 1 |
0930 | Drill call | Same as column 1 |
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1000 |
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| Church. After church light smoking lamp. |
1130 | Retreat from drill. Light smoking lamp. | Same as column 1 |
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1145 | Mess gear. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
1155 | Assembly. Fall in for mess. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
1200 | Pipe to dinner. March to dinner. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
1300 | Turn to. Out smoking lamp. Drill call. | Turn to. Out smoking lamp. Drill call. Layout bags and hammocks for inspection. Rope yam Sunday. Scrub bags and hammocks on alternate Wednesdays. Light smoking lamp after inspection. | Turn to. Continue field day. | Liberty call. Liberty to expire on dock at midnight. | Same as column 4 |
1600 | Retreat from drill. Light smoking lamp. |
| Dry down. Shift into clean uniform of the day. |
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1630 |
| Liberty call. Liberty to expire on dock at midnight. |
| Same as column 2 | Same as column 2 |
1715 | Mess gear. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
1725 | Sound assembly. Fall in for mess. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
1730 | Pipe to supper. March to supper. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
1900 | Hammocks. Fall in at nettings | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
1915 | Moving pictures when desired. | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 | Same as column 1 |
2055 | First call | First call | First call | First call | First call |
2100 | Tattoo | Tattoo | Tattoo | Tattoo | Tattoo |
2105 | Taps | Taps | Taps | Taps | Taps |
It will be noted that this outline does not include much actual instruction at drills. It is believed that much practical work which cannot be taught during the limited periods for drills will be picked up by the recruit working daily under his petty officer leader.
Daily a working division from the training divisions should be detailed. This division then answers all calls and the running boat crew from the division makes all pulling boat or sailing trips. As many pulling or sailing boats may be used at one time as is necessary to perform the duties required.
The record of the recruit should be carefully watched. Upon enlistment he should have a service record made out as at present. Upon arrival at the training station he should have a special training record made out, only the summary of which should be entered on his enlistment record upon completion of the training period. Petty offenses committed during the training period should be wiped clean when the recruit is discharged from the training course. Serious offenses should be carried forward on the service record, the final decision being left with the commanding officer. Appended is a suggested record for the training period.
No provision has been made to train men for engineer force, as it is believed that a cruising ship or a ship with a full equipment of operating engineering material is best for this purpose. The things which will be learned by a deck force man will also be required by and useful to an engineer.
This system cannot hope to turn out a finished product, but it is believed that by following it men will be produced who are better prepared to take up the work in active service than are the men now received at sea from training stations.