Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/44

 their employers to advantage with merchants abroad. On all such matters the commanders of English ships, with the exception of the East India Company's, were at this period greatly inferior to the commanders of the United States vessels.

"Education," remarks Mr. Joseph T. Sherwood, "is much prized by the citizens; many vessels, therefore, are commanded by gentlemen with a college education, and by those educated in high schools, who, on leaving those institutions, enter a merchant's counting-room for a limited time before they go to sea for practical seamanship, &c., or are entrusted by their parents, guardians, or friends, with the command of vessels."

In confirmation of this opinion, Mr. Consul Peter, of Philadelphia, states : "A lad intended for the higher grades of the merchant service in this country, after having been at school for some years and acquired (in addition to the ordinary branches of school learning) a competent knowledge of Mathematics, Navigation, Ships' husbandry, and perhaps French, is generally apprenticed to some respectable merchant, in whose counting-house he remains two or three years, or at least until he becomes familiar with exchanges and such other commercial matters as may best qualify him to represent his principal in foreign countries. He is then sent to sea, generally in the capacity of second mate, from which he gradually rises to that of captain."