CADETS
Under the laws establishing an ocean mail service certain vessels so
engaged are required to carry cadets.
Excerpts from this law follow:
"OCEAN MAIL SERVICE
"Said vessels shall take, as cadets or apprentices, one American-born
boy, under twenty-one years of age for each one thousand tons gross
register, and one for each majority fraction thereof, who shall be
educated in the duties of seamanship, rank as petty officers, and
receive such pay for their services as may be reasonable."
The system of carrying cadets is sound in principle, but in many
instances the law has been carried out according to a peculiar
interpretation of the phrase "+Shall be educated in the duties of
seamanship+."
Education is a term of wide meaning, but "seamanship" or the "Duties of
Seamanship" is at least fairly definite. The whole cadet system should
be put upon a definite basis of regular instruction, or else be done
away with.
Many of us can remember a scouting party hurrying across West Street to
pick up a "cadet" or two, so the good ship could go to sea in full
compliance with the law.