THE UNITED STATES NAVAL APPRENTICE SYSTEM
By Lieutenant A. B. Wyckoff, U.S.N.

The first attempt to establish an apprentice system was in 1837, when Congress passed an act making it "lawful to enlist boys for the navy, not being under thirteen nor over eighteen years of age, to serve until twenty-one." Within a few months there were several hundred apprentices on board naval vessels, and the experiment gave promise of success. The secretary directed that the boys were to be "thoroughly instructed so as to best qualify them to perform the duties of seamen and petty officers." The law of Congress was enacted eight years before the establishment of the United States Naval Academy, and the impression seems to have gone abroad that the apprentices would eventually receive commissions as officers. In consequence, many boys from influential families enlisted. But when only two of their number received appointments as midshipmen, the remainder became dissatisfied and brought such pressure to bear on the Secretary of the Navy that their requests for discharges were granted. In 1843 the attempt to keep the act of Congress in force was abandoned.

Twenty years thereafter Captain S. B. Luce and the officers of the practice ship Macedonian had an opportunity to thoroughly examine the English apprentice system at Portsmouth and Plymouth. Upon their return they made such favorable reports to Secretary Welles as led to the revival of the law of 1837. It was in the midst of the Civil War, and patriotic impulse influenced many boys of superior position to enlist. A few of these were admitted to the Naval Academy, and, as soon as this was known, the training ship Sabine was thronged with ambitious boys, who could not gain appointments through the members of Congress or the President. This annual selection of a few of the apprentices for the Naval Academy continued for several years; but it was found that this rendered the remainder discontented, and the majority either deserted or secured their discharges through political influence. The apprentice system was again declared to be a failure.

For ten years after the close of the war our officers contended with extreme difficulties in keeping up the well-deserved reputation of our naval vessels, because of the very bad class of men that composed the crews. The percentage of Americans in the service was small, and it was no unusual circumstance to have the powder division of a ship made up almost entirely of foreigners, who could neither speak nor understand English. The intelligent officers of our navy could not rest content with this anomalous condition of affairs, and constantly suggested improvements. Several of these were adopted, but the amelioration of the character of our men-of-wars men was very gradual.

The success of the apprentice system in the European navies pointed to the only effective solution of the question. This fact was so fully impressed upon Secretary Robeson, that, notwithstanding the former failures, be issued a circular, April 8, 1875, again reviving the law of 1837, but avoiding previous mistakes in the details of execution. The circular distinctly states that the education of the boys will comprise only the elements of an English education, alternating with practical seamanship and other professional occupations designed to prepare them for sailors in the navy.