Sea scouting is another important branch of scouting which aims to
develop water scouting and nautical activities and training of all
sorts. Chief Sea Scout James A. Wilder says:
Sea scouting is the way whereby scouting fulfills
its obligation to the American boy to prepare him
for emergencies on water as well as on land. High
officials of the Navy and the merchant marine have
expressed their unqualified approval of the entire
program of seamanship, watermanship, cloud study,
sailmaking, boats under oars and sail, shore
camping, and the other fascinating activities. Our
merchant marine languishes for lack of instructed
seamen. It is not a far cry to the time when boys
who have followed the seascout program will be
found in the four quarters of the globe, doing
business on great waters because they, as sea
scouts, received the same training which helped
keep our flag flying on the seven seas.
During the year 1919 the sea scouting department tripled its membership
and had regularly commissioned ships in 19 States. It is essentially an
older-boy plan and is not a substitute for scouting but a development of
it. Only boys over 15 years of age are eligible to join a sea scout
ship, though a preliminary rank, that of Cabin Boy, is open to younger
scouts who are able to meet certain tests in "water preparedness" and
take the Sea Promise.