TRAINING AT SEA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19365, 1 July 1937, Page 12

TRAINING AT SEA

CADET SHIP VISITS N.Z. MERCHANT SERVICE OFFICERS WORK ON THE NARDANA One of the three seagoing training ships of tjie British Mercantile Marine, the British India Steam Navigation Company’s steamer Nardana', arrived -at Auckland on Saturday from New York. Manned with more than 30 cadets, who' carry out ail deck work, the ship is an interesting example of methods by which future merchant officers receive their training. Under the command of Captain Dorkin-Whife the Nardana, with the Devon—formerly a Federal Line ship —supplies officers for the British India Company’s fleet, one of the largest individual mercantile fleets' in the world/ The third British training ship is the Federal Line vessel Durham, well known in New’Zea'land Waters.’

Theory and Practice

Although most overseas vessels carry a certain number of apprentices or cadets, the duty of 'such ships'as the Nardana is of much wider scope. Her fci'dets, after a period of training in England, receive instruction of a highly practical nature Apart from theoretical education. Wide publicity to the fdet that all dbfck work was carried out by her cadets was given the Nardana' On a recent visit to New York.

The cadets are divided into port and starboard watches, each with cadet officers in charge. The various routine duties ot watch-keeping, steering and other tasks are changed weekly so that during a voyage each cade} lias every variety of work to perform. A cadet is always on bridge duty at sea as junior officer of the watch arid look-out is kept by cadets alone. Two cadets are appointed to each hold, as captains of the hold, their duty being to supervise loading and discharging work during stay iii port. Variety of Conditions During working hours at sea, every effort is made to employ the trainees in a profitable manner, such as heaving the several leads, making knots, bends and hitches, rope and wiro splicing, sail-making, care of boats, and the examination of cargo derricks and winches. Navigation, seamanship and signalling classes are held each day and an examination is held toward the end of a homeward voyage. That wide experience of conditions in various parts of the world is gaihed is shown in the present voyage of the Nardana. The ship left Barry, Wales, for New York, add continued With general cargo to New Zealand. On clearing New Zealand she will call at Australian ports, remaining for about six weeks at Melbourne before taking remounts to India. Stic will then return to Australia with a cargo of dates for the Christmas trace.