INDIA NOW TRAINING NATIVE YOUTH FOR MERCANTILE MARINE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6850, 4 March 1929, Page 9

INDIA NOW TRAINING NATIVE YOUTH FOR MERCANTILE MARINE

BOMBAY, Jan. 24. “There is much evidenco to show that there is a keen response to the call of the sea from India,” declared Commander Digby-Best, captain-superinten-dent of the Indian Mercantile training ship Dufferin, at the distribution of prizes to cadets, and he referred to the keen competition for the vacancies in the training ship. Last year 77 boys entered for the qualifying examination to compete for 30 vacancies, while this yoar there are some 160 registered candidates for tho examination.

The cadcrts have Been recruited from different parts of India and the weekly letters are written by them in no less than 13 languages, stated tho report of the captain-superintendent, but, in spite of tho diversity of caste, creed, and language, they have absorbed some of tho “camaraderie” of the sea, and are learning to pull together as a ship’s company.

Deferring to the curriculum followed, Commander Digby-Best said that, apart from tho general vocational studies, the question of forming character and molding tho boys into men who would have the force of character necessary for command and would fully uphold the traditions of the sea, had been insisted upon, and no detail of life aboard had been instituted or approved, unless it was such as would directly help to turn tho boy into a seaman. The means utilised to attain this end were the same as are followed in England. One of tho recommendations made by the Indian Mercantile Marine committee was the establishment in Indian waters of a training ship for Indian boys who desired to take up a sea career in the merchant navy. As a direct result, the Dufferin, which had been removed from the active list of tho Royal Indian Marine, was taken over by the Government of India, Commerce Department, and assigned to this work. The Dufferin was converted into a training ship and commenced her new career last year with her first quota of boys chosen by tho selection boaTd.