MERCANTILE MARINE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 125, 29 May 1934, Page 12

MERCANTILE MARINE

SEAGOING TRAINING

THE LINER CORNWALL

(From "The Post's" Representative.) '.' '\:' '.' '"" • LONDON, April '6. ; A description' of the seagoing, training of young deck officers ,for the Merchant Navy is; given in 'an article' in '.'The',; Times." The' "' contributor—*' A Special Correspondent»'—it may safely be assumed, is Captain H.;T. Dorling. Experience was gained; on'a 3J months' voyage, on the training ship Cornwall, belonging to the '.Federal Line.; '. v. . : ;Tho- writer gives detajls of the life of the cadets onMjoard and while in New I Zealand waters, and he concludes:—-- ■■

"The general physical condition of the cadets is excellent, though it should be .'said that the minimum height and weight standards for entry are sft 7in and lOst 71b respectively. Social activities in New Zealand, where most of the cadets have friends and are very- popular, included a dance given by the Christchurch branch of the Navy League and a dance ashore in Auckland given,',by r ;the ,cadets themselves. . "Though certain modifications-and improvements-,might be suggested, the company's training scheme for its young officers is undoubtedly carried out on the right lines and is better than the old-time apprentice scheme,. under which boys of an impressionable age were/ often vilely fed,-, wretchedly housed, and largely untaught and uncaredfor. , Tho company is building-two new f cargo/liners' to carry cadets. In fh'|.., .Corn wall and. Northumberland,, .where; the, work -of-training is now being carried on, instruction is given in every branch of knowledge necessary to young officers entering a profession which every day tends to'become more scientific and complicated."