THE MERCHANT SERVICE,

1

To those who wish to embrace a seafaring life, and who are yet unable to obtain admission into the Royal Navy, the Mercantile Marine of Great Britain offers a wide sphere of employment. It has also this attraction, which is wanting in the Navy, that in it, and by it, there are opportunities of making money, and of laying by a store against a rainy day. The merchant service offers all sorts of employments, from that of cabin boy in the collier, to that of midshipman in a crack packet company.

There are some who advocate the entry of a lad, no matter what his father's social position, on the lowest round of the ladder, as the best method of training him to mount the other steps-who think it fit he should enter as a ship's boy, or ordinary seaman before the mast, in order to fit him for the duties of boatswain, mate, and commander. Some good examples of this have been furnished to the world, not only in

the case of Sir Cloudesley Shovel, who entered as a cabin-boy in the merchant service, and ended by being an admiral in the navy, in which capacity he was lost, with all his crew, off Scilly. Captain Cook, too, rose from a like humble origin, and served through every grade in a hard school of navigation, till he became eminently fitted for the duties that devolved upon him in after life. But it may readily be conceded, that this severe discipline is not necessary nor advisable for every one. It is a discipline which may mar as well as make a man, and its extreme vigour may often spoil what, but for it, would grow into a healthy plant. As an apprentice or midshipman, the youngster has ample opportunity of seeing what is the duty and work of the seaman, without being obliged to associate with him on terms of equality, or exposed to the danger of picking up their habits and expressions. It is as apprentice or midshipman that a youngster should enter. There is a distinction, though not much difference, between the two ratings, the former is the more workmanlike term, the latter the more pseudo-aristocratic, and many who are rightly called apprentices, are called by this title. Apprentices are bound under indentures to the master of a ship, or to the members of the owning firm; a premium, ranging from twenty to sixty pounds, has to be paid on joining, and then the youngster, with outfit provided at his friend's cost, is embarked on board one of the firm or company's ships, there to serve in the capacity of novice, then of

help, to the officers of the ship. Apprentices are lodged by themselves, and mess together, the third officer of the ship being sometimes associated with them, for the purposes of discipline and of convenience. They are told off, according to their number, into the several watches, and are employed first upon the light work of the ship, in cleaning, painting, and making themselves generally useful, and afterwards, as they get to know more, upon some portion of the regular duties of the ship. They take their turn at the wheel, take observations at the same time the master does, and are in some ships made to find the ship's position on the chart, both by observation and dead reckoning. Where they are sufficiently numerous, they are given the charge of the mizenmast, to attend to it in all particulars; they reef and stow and set the sails on that mast, paint it, tar down its rigging, and are held responsible for it in all respects. In port the duty of the apprentices is to man the captain's gig, to attend at the gangway, when any boat is coming alongside, to receive any one coming on board, and to make his business known to the officer of the watch. They assist the mate in tallying cargo in and out, they are sent away in charge of boats on service of the ship, and act as messengers to the captain and officers either on board the ship or on shore.

Their food is little, if at all, different from that served out to the men; but it is the custom in all large employs for the captain on Sundays, and occa

sionally at other times, to invite one or more of the youngsters to dine with him in the cabin. Apprentices have no pay, but as the owners, or whoever else to whom they may be bound, are under obligation to feed them during the term of their apprenticeship, the lads receive an allowance, while in port and away from the ship, of about two shillings a day for subsistence money. As soon as they are out of their time, they can receive third mate's pay of about three pounds a month; but before they can become certificated mates, capable of taking charge, they must qualify by passing the examination prescribed by the Board of Trade.

What has been said of apprentices is true also of midshipmen. Midshipmen have precisely the same nautical duties to perform, only they are excused from doing some of the dirtier work which apprentices, in their noviciate, are often obliged to perform. They pay a higher premium than apprentices, and are entitled, as part of the consideration for that premium, to privileges of association with the captain, dining at his table frequently, and one or two other little advantages, which, however, are rather imaginary than real. Except in small employs, where no midshipmen are taken, apprentices, equally with midshipmen, are obliged to appear in the uniform of their employers, and practically, in ships where both apprentices and midshipmen are taken, there is no difference either in fact or appearance between the two. Indeed, where apprentices are the older and longer at sea, they take