One Thousand Ways to Make a Living; or, An Encyclopædia of Plans to Make Money

Water transportation may be considered from two standpoints, terminal and interterminal. Terminal transportation does not differ materially from transportation upon the rivers and canals. Interterminal transportation, whether on the Great Lakes or on the sea, is practically the same. In this place we shall, accordingly, deal with only terminal and ocean transportation.

PLAN No. 1013. TERMINAL TRANSPORTATION

Terminal transportation has to do with the loading and unloading of cargoes, and is usually heavy work that requires men with strong backs and little training. The men who supervise the laborers on the boats must have executive ability and a knowledge of boats, equipment, and harbors. The chief qualification of a captain of a barge, a scow, a lighter, or a covered barge, is ability to direct other men at the work of loading and unloading the vessel, of handling lines, and of shifting the boat, and ability to make minor repairs. On lighters and covered barges the captain tallies and signs up for the cargo received. The master steers the boat, gives orders to the crew, and signals the engineer for movement of the boat. He is responsible for the safety of the passengers and the crew. He must have keen eyesight and the ability to act quickly and efficiently in an emergency. He must be thoroughly familiar with the harbor and with harbor conditions. He supervises the pilot, if one is carried on the boat. On smaller boats, the pilot acts as master, and then his duties are the same as the master’s. The wheelsman is an assistant to the master, and performs part of the latter’s duties. Deckhands sometimes act as wheelsmen, and may advance to that position, or higher—to pilot, captain, or master. The engineer is usually a man of considerable skill and experience and possesses a thorough knowledge of the machinery of the boat. He sees that the engine is properly cared for, oiled and kept in good working condition. He directs the work of his assistant, of the oiler who oils the machinery, and of the firemen. He receives his orders for the movement of the boat from the master.

Disabilities

Of these men, only those who supervise other men could have sustained serious injuries. None of them may have either defective eyesight or hearing. The loss of an arm would usually be a serious handicap, and also the loss of a leg would be such an inconvenience for most men in climbing on and about the boat as to be a serious handicap. In these occupations good opportunities for men seriously disabled are comparatively few.

Ocean Transportation

On board a large ocean liner is to be found a complete organization of officers, supervisors, clerks, and skilled and unskilled laborers. As a general rule, all of these men must be physically sound, and about the only disabilities allowable are the loss of fingers, of a foot, and perhaps of one eye if the remaining eye is very good. For men so disabled there is some slight opportunity for advancement. Only the clerical positions such as the purser, assistant purser, or freight clerk, can be filled by men who have lost a hand or leg, or who are otherwise physically unfit for climbing about on slippery decks in a rolling sea. Wages paid during the war have been abnormally high.

Ocean Vessels Vary Greatly

There are two general classes of ocean vessels—sail and steam, steam vessels being in many instances equipped for sailing. In these two general classes there are, however, all sorts and types of boats and ships.

PLAN No. 1014. CREW AND DUTIES LIKEWISE VARY

The crew of a steam vessel has three departments—deck, engineer’s, and steward’s.[22]

The deck crew of a steamer depends upon the size and type of the vessel, and ranges from as low as nine on a small steamer to 972 on the Olympic, officers included. The average number of able seamen is about seven for ocean-carrying vessels. The others are officers, ordinary seamen, deck boys, etc. It has been charged that boats frequently ship without any able seamen, and depend upon ordinary seamen and deck boys in emergencies.

Deck duty is varied and crowded with emergencies. “The sailor’s daily work in all kinds of vessels and weather, at the wheel, on the lookout, and on deck, teaches him to know the sea and how to work with it. His work with tackles, lines, and cables, in hoisting and lowering, trains his judgment of strains and distances.”[23] “The amount of gear and equipment used in the deck department on different classes of steamships varies greatly, but the difference is one of degree rather than of the kind.”[24]

PLAN No. 1015. NAVAL VERSUS MERCHANT MARINE CREWS

The crew and the work done on a merchant vessel are so different from those on a naval vessel that the disabled sailor would have much to learn in going from a naval vessel to a merchant vessel. One fundamental difference is this: The merchant vessel carries generally only about one-third the crew—ton for ton—that the naval vessel does. On a naval vessel the men work in groups; on a merchant vessel the man works as an individual and not in a group.

The crew of a large merchant vessel consists more or less of the following officers, seamen, and attendants: Master, chief mate, second mate, third officer, fourth officer, senior quartermaster, quartermaster, master-at-arms, chief steward, chief second-class steward, chief third-class steward, chief engineer, first assistant engineer, second assistant engineer, third assistant engineer, junior engineer, deck engineer, leading fireman, oiler, electrician, carpenter, boatswain, able seamen, ordinary seamen, deck boy, water tender, lookout, purser, assistant purser, freight clerk, and bakers, chefs, cooks, buglers, butchers, cadets, storekeeper, and watchman.

PLAN No. 1016. THE MASTER OR CAPTAIN

The master has general supervision over the vessel, crew, and passengers. He has complete charge of the vessel at all times, but during a severe storm or other emergency he stands on the watch continuously day and night and issues the necessary orders. He is responsible for the safe navigation of his vessel. His responsibility extends to the management of the various departments as well as to the vessel and its care as a whole—for the safety of the lives of passengers and crew, and for the safe storage, carriage, and unloading of cargo. He must have a thorough knowledge of navigation, which subject he must have studied thoroughly, and in which he must have passed a rigid examination before he received his license as a master. He must likewise possess a legal knowledge of the laws governing right upon the sea and determining his duties as regards the ship and its passengers, crew, and cargo. Among his other duties are to keep the log properly and to inspect the ship regularly as to ventilation, warmth, and cleanliness. He must be the last man to leave the ship in case of disaster, and must do everything within his power for the safety of the passengers and crew. He must have received much of his training in lower positions upon the sea, but he must also have studied navigation in some school or under some able master. He must have executive ability of a high order and be able to act efficiently in an emergency.

PLAN No. 1017. THE CHIEF MATE

Next to the master in authority and responsibility comes the chief mate. He shares with the master responsibility for safe and proper navigation of the ship. He is the chief executive officer and must organize and supervise the routine work of keeping order throughout the ship. He is held responsible for discipline. Under him is the master-at-arms, the ship’s policeman, who keeps order among the crew and steerage passengers. His knowledge of the vessel, its equipment, stores, and complement of men must be thorough. He supervises the preparation and care of the holds, and the loading, stowing, and unloading of cargo. This is done under his personal direction or under another officer to whom he has delegated the duty. He sees that the cargo-handling gear is kept in proper working condition. It is his duty to inspect the lifeboats and have them kept properly equipped and in working order, and to hold regular lifeboat drills. The firefighting equipment is likewise in his care, and he must also hold fire drills regularly. His training and knowledge is very similar to that required of the master. Ordinarily he takes his turn with the third and fourth officers at a watch on the bridge.

PLAN No. 1018. THE SECOND MATE

The second mate stands his watch on the bridge, takes various observations, and gives orders to the quartermasters. On large liners he has complete charge of the navigating equipment, and is known as the navigating officer. When the vessel docks he supervises matters at the after end of the boat. In general, he has charge of the after holds, the after cargo, and the after gears. Only in experience and degree of training do his qualifications differ from those of the chief mate.

PLAN No. 1019. WATCH OFFICERS

The third and fourth officers are watch officers. The fourth officer is frequently left in charge of the bridge in fair weather and under good conditions, and like the third officer takes observations, and gives orders to the quartermaster. The third officer has general charge of the forward holds, under the supervision of the chief mate. On some vessels, he is the signal officer and has charge of the care and use of the signal flag and other signaling equipment. Frequently he supervises the placing of the gangway and the embarkation of the passengers when the vessel docks. Both of these officers must have had instruction in navigation, and must be alert and attentive to duty.

PLAN No. 1020. THE CHIEF ENGINEER AND HIS ASSISTANTS

The chief engineer, the assistant engineers, the junior engineers, the deck engineers, the firemen, oilers, and electricians care for all machinery of the ship. The chief engineer stands no watch, but the assistant engineers do, and are responsible for all that takes place in the engine room and fireroom during their watch at sea. Under these assistant engineers are the junior engineers, one of whom is in direct charge during each watch of each of the firerooms, the engine room, and the auxiliaries. In port the junior engineers help the other engineers, the firemen, and the oilers in the repair, packing and overhauling of the machinery. The chief engineer is held responsible for the proper functioning of the engines and boilers, the deck machinery, the electrical, refrigerating and sanitary equipment, and for all steam connections on the ship. He must see that the regulations of his department are carried out, that the engine and fireroom crews are qualified and conduct themselves with sobriety. At the end of each voyage he reports on these matters, and on the working of the machinery—its breakdowns and repairs, especially any exceptional one made away from port—the miles traveled, temperatures, and consumption of fuel. It is his duty to have the steamer properly coaled, both as to quality and quantity of coal. He must possess executive ability, and must have studied engineering in a nautical school or under a competent engineer for a period of years. The first assistant engineer has as his special duty the general charge of all boilers and machinery in the engine department. The second assistant engineer usually employs the fireroom crew and reports to the chief engineer on their qualifications and conduct. He has charge of the repairs and overhauling of the main engines and auxiliaries on the starboard side. The deck engineer supervises and keeps in repair the deck machinery, the steering gear, windlass engine, capstans, and the sanitary systems. The leading fireman has supervision over the firing of the boilers, the keeping of water in the boilers, and over the firemen, coal passers and water tenders. He personally tends a set of fires. On some boats he acts as interpreter of the orders of superior officers to the firemen who are foreigners and can not understand the orders in English. The oiler must keep all the engines clean and well oiled, and see that they are running smoothly and without undue heat. The electrician supervises and keeps in repair the dynamo engines, the electric motors, and other electrical apparatus on the ship. The work of keeping the ship in working condition is usually done by the engineering department. There is, however, some work of repairing that is done by the carpenter, whose duties depend greatly upon the character of the ship. He is generally charged with the upkeep of masts and booms, the repair of wooden decks, and the opening and covering of the hatches.

PLAN No. 1021. THE BOATSWAIN

The boatswain, under the supervision of the chief mate, has active charge of the deck crew, and works the seamen at washing, repairing, and painting decks.

PLAN No. 1022. ABLE SEAMEN

Since all officers must have served as able seamen, the required duties of the able seamen are worth noting in detail. “While on board ship in port, the able seaman is occupied with cleaning, painting, repairing, and overhauling. When the vessel is at sea, the able seaman washes decks and the outside of deckhouses, slacks off exposed gear when shrinking too tight in damp weather, and tightens it again when it becomes too lose in dry weather. When a storm comes on the able seaman closes all open hatches, ports, etc., and lashes down all movables on deck or stows them away.” The ordinary seaman does the same work as the able seaman, so far as his training and ability will permit. The deck boy is simply an apprentice seaman.

“The man who expects to be known as an able seaman on a steamship must know the use of rigging screws, fids, marlinspikes, serving mallets, the palm and needle, calking tools, and most of the carpenter tools; the mixing of paints and colors; how to obtain strong leverages with bars, ropes, tackles; how to brace with wedges and shores; besides knowing the various knots and splices; and to worm, parcel, serve, and seize, with rope and wire; and must be able to hold up his end of a job when it comes to climbing and working in places where both armhold and foothold is difficult. He must know the lead line, not only its marks but how to use it to get correct sounding when the ship is in close quarters, the night dark, and the sea heavy, whether he stands in a smother of sea on a low freighter or far up the side of an immense liner. The compass, of course, is a familiar object to him, but he must know how to use it, how to steer the ship under all conditions, what to expect and how to meet it when he is steering across a current as well as with it or against it, through the swift rush of a narrows, passing at close quarters in and out of the suction of another heavy ship under speed, with the wind light or strong from any direction, heading into a heavy sea, taking it on either bow or quarter or abeam, under check or full speed, rolling and pitching heavily, or running before it, when a blunder may mean total loss of ship with lives and cargo. The man at the wheel must know his work, what to expect and how to meet it instantly, in calm or storm, daylight or dark, in clear weather or in fog. The man who learns to be a reasonably good helmsman in even three years is an exception, because, regardless of the aptitude of the individual, the personal knowledge of varying conditions, different ships and how they act under differing circumstances, familiarity with the various steering gears, can only be gained through experience necessarily covering a good deal of time. The steam steering gear, rendering less physical strength necessary and making possible the handling of larger ships, requires greater skill than the old hand method, which permitted the man at the wheel to feel the increasing or decreasing rudder pressure and thus warned him of just how the ship was acting.

“Prepared paint is seldom brought on board ship. The raw material is put on board and is mixed according to needs by the able seaman. Graining, filling, varnishing, and lettering is done as well as ordinary flat painting. Sailors become sufficiently skilled at this work to qualify as journeymen painters on shore. The deck crew cleans all outside parts of the ship, except the funnel, from the masts and booms to the deck houses, decks, and sides of the ship.”[25]

Hours of Labor

The hours of labor for workmen are: On deck, two shifts (watch and watch) 12 hours each; in the engine room three shifts of 8 hours each. In emergencies the hours are greatly lengthened.

Wages

Following is the wage scale which has been established during the war. In 1915 wages were about half the amounts here given:

Sailors and firemen, $60 per month; coal passers, $50 per month; oilers and water tenders, $65 per month; boatswain, $70 per month; carpenters, $75 per month; overtime pay for cargo work 50 cents per hour, and for ship work 40 cents per hour. The bonus for going into the war zone was 50 per cent of the wages, the wages and bonus to continue until crew arrive back in the United States; $100 compensation was paid for loss of effects caused by war conditions. Board and quarters are of course provided in addition to the wages.[26]

Training

Seamen are required to have three years’ experience at sea to receive able seamen’s certificates. Vessels differ greatly to-day and conditions and duties abroad are so radically different, while the voyages to various parts of the globe subject seamen to so many varied emergencies, that a long training at sea is necessary to make an able seamen. It is the rule for seaman to change from ship to ship.

There are training schools for seamen. During the war the school at Boston gave intensified training for six to eight weeks, then placed the learner on a boat at sea, and after about six weeks he qualified as an ordinary seaman. For a man to get his “sea legs” requires this long a period. “It takes some time for a man to get himself so accustomed to the sea he can walk along the deck without holding himself fast to something when the vessel is rolling and pitching.”

Safety

The seaman is exposed to bad weather conditions, accidents, and disease. The mortality rate among seamen is very high—much higher than among some occupations commonly thought to be extra hazardous to life and health. English mortality statistics show that the death rate among seamen is far greater than among miners and railroad trainmen. Since it is a dangerous calling for men sound in limb and body, it is, accordingly, very undesirable in general for disabled men.

PLAN No. 1023. THE LOOKOUT

The lookout has a position of responsibility. Stationed in the crow’s nest or on the forecastle, he watches for everything that comes in sight, and especially for things that might damage the ship, such as derelicts, icebergs, submarines, and on-coming steamships. When he sights anything, he reports it immediately to the bridge, either by shouting, speaking tube, telephone, or telegraph. He must have keen eyesight and attend strictly to duty. A disabled soldier or sailor with these qualifications, and whose disabilities do not prevent his climbing readily, or holding himself in position in stormy weather might qualify for this position.

PLAN No. 1024. THE PURSER—A POSITION FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS

A far better position for the disabled man is that of the purser, or assistant purser. The purser is a treasurer, accountant, and chief clerk on the ship. Money and valuables may be deposited with him by the passengers for safety. He acts as a sort of cashier for the passengers and crew in changing money and cashing traveler’s checks, etc. He keeps the wages account of the crew, and is present when the crew is paid off. He collects or supervises the collection of all tickets, and checks these against the passenger list as soon as practicable after the vessel has sailed. He is responsible for the manifests, bills of health, clearance papers, and cargo. He should know everything about the passengers and cargo. Although the master must record in his log any death aboard, the purser must get the details for his own report and for the master’s log. He supplies information and encourages entertainments among the passengers. He should be able to speak the languages of the countries at which his ship comes to port. He should possess tact and be courteous to the passengers.

The freight clerk has a position, that for the freight is somewhat similar to that of the assistant purser for the passengers.

PLAN No. 1025. CHIEF STEWARDS

Chief stewards have positions corresponding closely to those of a large hotel, sanitarium or similar institution. They must have business and executive ability, and are held responsible for the comfort and service of passengers in matters of sleeping quarters, food, heat, and ventilation. Under them are the chef, cooks, and numerous other attendants. Each of these occupations has the characteristics of the same occupation as followed on the land. Upon chief stewards devolves the further duty of purchasing in advance of a voyage in proper quantities the supplies needed.

It should be added that if a disabled soldier or sailor is qualified for any of these positions, he will generally find work on land preferable to work on board a ship.

Other Positions in Water Transportation

A large number of office positions corresponding to those in railway service exist at the leading ports. Disabled sailors could qualify for these and find their former experience of value.

PLAN No. 1026. OCCUPATIONS IN NAVY YARDS

Acknowledgment

This monograph was prepared by Charles R. Allen, special agent of the Federal Board for Vocational Education. Acknowledgment is due to Dr. John Cummings, of the Research Division, for editorial assistance.

Perhaps you have been on a ship when she was in the yard. In that case you have some notion of the various jobs that are carried on. Perhaps you have seen in one part of the yard a ship under construction on the ways, and have seen and heard the riveters, bolters up, chippers, and calkers at work. Perhaps you have been in the shops and have seen the boiler makers, the sheet-metal men, the machinists, the jointers at work. In short, perhaps you already have a pretty good idea of the different kinds of work that are carried on in a navy yard, but would like to know more about it.

Perhaps you never were in a navy yard, or if you were, you were too busy to notice what went on. In that case you may be still interested in knowing how many different trades are carried on in a navy yard, and how they are carried on. In either case if you followed a trade before you entered the service, if you learned a trade while you were in the service, or if you intend to take advantage of the opportunity offered to you by the Federal Board for Vocational Education to take further training in your trade or to take training for some new trade after your discharge, you may be interested in finding out what a navy yard is, what trades are carried on, how they are carried on, what their requirements are, what a man must do to qualify for a navy-yard job, what sort of working conditions he would work under, what the chances of promotion would be, how much pay he could get, and, in general, whether there is anything in navy-yard employment that appeals to you and that you would want to try to get into.

This pamphlet gives you some general information about navy-yard employments, and tells you how you can get more detailed information if you are interested in finding out more about opportunities for navy-yard employment.

General Working Conditions

If you go to work in a navy-yard you get an eight-hour day, with Saturday half holidays from June 15 to September 15. You can be granted 30 working days leave of absence each year without loss of pay during such leave, but it would be lawful to allow you pro rata leave only after you have served 12 months or more. During the second year of service you could be allowed 60 days leave with pay, 30 days at any time during the year and 30 days at the rate of 2¹⁄₂ days a month as earned from the beginning of the service year. After two years of service you could get 30 days’ leave per year, at the rate of 2¹⁄₂ days per month. Should you be injured in the usual course of employment you would be entitled to receive compensation under certain conditions.

Stability of Employment

Of course, during the war navy-yard work has been rushed and a large number of extra men have been taken on, but under ordinary conditions, such as existed before the war and will exist after the war, navy-yard work is pretty steady, and if you are a good man when you are once employed you are likely to hold a steady job. Should you be laid off on account of lack of work, you can get your name on a furlough list for reinstatement.

As a civil-service employee, you can not be discharged at the whim of your superior, but only for cause.

Rates of pay will average well with those paid for similar work in private concerns, and there is little danger of loss of employment through the concern going out of business.

All of these conditions make employment in navy yards desirable from the standpoint of holding a steady job when you are once employed.

What Are The Health Conditions in Navy-Yard Employment?

The list of navy yard trades and occupations show you that the general health conditions in the different shop trades are about the same as in the same trades anywhere. Since most navy yards have been established for a good many years many of the shop buildings are not up to modern-shop standards, especially as regards lighting, but new buildings are constantly being erected that are much better than the old ones. The yard trades are mostly carried on in the open air, which might be a very desirable thing if you need outside work for your health, and could stand the heat in summer and the cold in winter.

As a general rule few if any of the navy yard trades and occupations would be rated as extra dangerous to health on account of dust, dangerous gases, etc.

Chances for Promotion

If you are employed as a laborer or at work that requires no mechanical skill or trade knowledge you can not be promoted, but you can, as can any one else enter open competitive examination for higher positions. With the trade and technical knowledge that you now have, or that you can secure through training with the help of the Federal Board for Vocational Education you will not have to take jobs of that kind. Without such knowledge and training, however, these are the only sort of jobs that you could get.

If you start in a position that requires some mechanical skill or trade knowledge, such as an apprentice or helper, you can secure promotion in several ways. If you have rendered six months’ satisfactory service you may, if the head of your department requests it and the commanding officer approves, be promoted to a position in the artisan group, upon passing the tests of fitness required by the Civil Service Commission.

If you are employed as an artisan promotion to such positions as foreman, leading man, quarterman, etc., is open to you if you possess the necessary qualifications.

How to Apply for Work in a Navy Yard

In applying for a job in a navy yard you do not “go to the gate” or to a superintendent or a boss, as you would if applying for work in a private concern. All employees in navy yards are employed under the civil service rules. Under these rules when there is a vacancy it is filled by offering the job to the individual whose name stands highest on what is called the eligible list. The way to get in line for a navy yard job is, therefore, to get on the eligible list with as high a rating as possible. As a disabled sailor or marine you have a special advantage here as is explained later.

Getting on The Eligible List

For detailed official information as to just what your qualifications must be and just how you must proceed to secure a place on the eligible list for employment in navy yards you should secure a copy of Instructions to Applicants for Employment at Navy Yards and Naval Stations. Probably you can get a copy from your vocational adviser, or you can write to the United States Civil Service Commission, Washington, D. C. Probably you will want to get some explanations from your vocational adviser and you should take the matter up with him.

The following will give you a general idea of how individuals for navy yard appointments may proceed to get their names on the eligible list for their trade or occupation. Your first step is to apply for examination for a civil-service rating. At nearly all yards and naval stations there are labor boards that receive applications for employment in the yards to which they are attached. (The “instructions” already referred to will give you exact information on this point.) If men are needed or are likely to be needed, arrangements will be made to determine your qualifications and rate you. In general, if you are applying for examination and rating as an artisan (as you probably would be), you would be rated on your experience, your training, and your physical ability. If your physical ability is affected by your services in the Navy or the Marine Corps, it is the understanding of the office of the Federal Board for Vocational Education that wherever a soldier, sailor, or marine has been disabled in the war and desires employment in any occupation in a navy yard or shipyard under the jurisdiction of the United States Government, the question of his physical ability to discharge the duties of the position properly will be passed upon individually for each case. Should the Civil Service Commission determine that, notwithstanding his handicap, he is able to do the work of the position in a satisfactory way, any general rule or regulation regarding disability now in operation under the rules of the commission will not apply.

Therefore, if you are a disabled soldier, sailor, or marine interested in navy yard occupations, you should first communicate with representatives of the Federal Board for Vocational Education regarding your case. These representatives are to be found at the central office at Washington, D. C., or in one of the district offices given at the back of this pamphlet. You do not have to pass written examinations, but your rating is determined by the values given to your training, physical ability, and experience as stated by you under oath and verified by the examining board.

If your rating is over a certain number your name is placed on the eligible list. The higher your rating the nearer your name to the top of the list. When vacancies occur appointments are made from the top of the list down, and appointees are notified when and where to report for work.

How Previous Training, Experience, and Education Help

If you have already had some experience in a navy yard occupation that you wish to follow you are at a great advantage. For example, if you worked in a machine shop or in an office before you entered the service, the time that you would need for training for similar work in a navy yard would be greatly reduced—the more you know the more time you can save. If you learned something about the job during your service, this experience, also, will enable you to shorten your training.

The more education you have the better off you are—in the first place a man with a good education stands a better chance for promotion, and the better his education the better man he is on his job. A high-school education, for example, would help you very much in office work and in the shop trades. If you can read drawings and blue prints, you can easily learn to read the special sort of blue prints that are used in navy yard work, and this will enable you to shorten your training period. A knowledge of geometry will help you very much in a number of shop trades, such as sheet-metal work and mold-loft work. If you know how to make mechanical drawings you can greatly shorten your training time for work in the drafting rooms. The more mathematics and drawing you know the better your chance of securing promotion to some form of supervisory work.

If you have followed an occupation that is somewhat like one of those carried on in navy yards you have a great advantage. Suppose, for example, you were a structural-steel man, or an electrician, or a house plumber, or house carpenter, or stenographer, you already know a great deal about these occupations, and you have only to learn what you do not know about these jobs as they are carried on in navy yards. In order to do this you will not need to take as much time for training as you would if you were entirely green.

In all these ways and in many others any education, training, or experience you may have had in trades or occupations will help you very much, either in shortening the time that you would have to take for a training, or in enabling you to train yourself for a higher grade of work.

Educational Requirements for Navy Yard Trades

You have some education and you will naturally be interested in knowing how much general education a good man must have in the different navy yard trades and occupations. Through your vocational adviser you can get a copy of Aids to Employment Managers and Interviewers on Shipyard Occupations with Descriptions of Such Occupations issued by the United States Shipping Board, Emergency Fleet Corporation, which will give you considerable information along this line. The following may give you some general ideas of the amount of education that a man would need in the different sorts of trades and occupations.

In general you can not have too much education for any navy yard jobs. The more education you have the better workman you will be, the better your chances for promotion and, in general, the greater your opportunities. So do not be afraid of knowing too much. On the other hand, if you have had only a common-school education, or even less than that, you need not feel discouraged, not only because many of the men now making good on their jobs have had only a limited school training, but because, with the approval of the Federal Board for Vocational Education, you can secure such additional general education as you may need to equip you for the work that you wish to do.

Most navy yard occupations require only a common-school education. That is, if you can read, write, and speak English, and can do ordinary work in arithmetic, you probably have as much general education as most men in these occupations were able to secure before they went to work. Such occupations as draftsman, tracer, electrician, patternmaker, and a few others, especially office work, call for some high-school education.

In addition to the general educational requirements the different trades vary in the amount of technical training required. In many trades, such as, for example, that of the machinist, patternmaker, coppersmith, boilermaker, or plumber, a man must be able to read drawings and blue prints, and to follow specifications. This is true of many of the shop trades. In many of these trades a man must be able to make necessary calculations in connection with his work. In some cases a man must have special knowledge about the particular kinds of material that he works on, such as brass, steel, copper, and so on.

You should consider carefully what technical training you require for the sort of work you intend to follow, remembering that the opportunity to secure this technical training is a part of the offer for training made to you by the Federal Board for Vocational Education.

How May Training for Navy Yard Occupations Be Secured?

Suppose that you have decided that navy yard work looks good to you and you intend to take training for some sort of navy yard work. You have consulted with your vocational adviser, have “taken stock” of yourself, and have selected the particular sort of work that you would like and think you can do best; and have your application approved. How can you secure the training that you need? There are several ways:

1. The Federal Board for Vocational Education can arrange for you to take your training in a navy yard or in a shop, under the instructions of a competent employee who knows that occupation. This man will train you on the job.

2. If you want training in such work as drawing or mathematics, you can be placed in a school where these subjects are taught as they apply to the work for which you are taking training.

3. It may be possible for you to put part of your time into shop training and part into school training.

4. If you need more general education, the Federal Board for Vocational Education will arrange for you to get it, either in day or evening schools, or will even provide a special instructor to teach you.

No matter what your handicap or disability may be or what training you lack for the navy-yard occupation that you wish to follow, the Federal Board for Vocational Education will stand behind you and do all that it can to help you to make good. Other men in your situation have made good. You can. Let the Federal Board for Vocational Education help you to be a better man on the job than you were before, or a good man on a better job than you had before.

What Training Can Do for You in Navy-Yard Occupations

If you wish to take up any navy-yard occupation you can, by taking advantage of the opportunities for taking training that are offered by the Federal Board for Vocational Education, decidedly better your chances of getting a job and of getting a better job.

In the first place, if you are handicapped, you can, by taking special training, equip yourself so that you can hold down a great many navy-yard jobs that, without training you could not do at all. A great many jobs like those carried on in the shops and offices of navy yards have been successfully held down by men who had lost a hand, an arm, or a leg, and who had taken special training so that they could overcome their handicap.

Aside from this special training, if you are interested in navy-yard employment, the training that you can secure will enable you to get a better job than you otherwise could. For example, perhaps you followed some trade similar to some navy-yard trade before you entered the service. You did not know all about that trade—there are always some things that a fellow does not know about his trade. For example, you might have worked in a shop where the foreman could read the blue prints and you could not; you can take training in blue-print reading. Perhaps you could not lay off work; you can learn to do it. Perhaps there were some machines that you did not know how to run, or certain jobs that you did not know how to do; you can take training on these machines and on those special jobs. Perhaps you are well up in your trade, and would like to become a quarterman or leading man but need to know certain things about the job; you can take training for that, so that you can get yourself in line for promotion.

If you did not know anything about a trade before you entered the service, but learned something about some trade or occupation while in the service, you can complete your trade training. For example, suppose that you learned something about pipe fitting, or electrical work, or machine-shop work, or sail making, or yeoman’s work while you were in the service; you can complete your training so that you will have the entire trade at your command; and you can not only get the shop training, but you can also get whatever drawing or other technical training a first-class man in that trade needs to know.

If you never had any trade or think that some navy-yard trade would suit you better than the one you followed before you entered the service, you can take training for that new trade.

In any case, if, in order to take the training that you desire, you need to take some general school training, such as arithmetic or English, you can take that training in addition to the training for the work itself.

These are only a few examples of the possibilities for training for navy-yard jobs that are open to you through the Federal Board for Vocational Education.

If you are interested you should, of course, take your plans up with your vocational adviser and secure the necessary approval.

In any case carefully consider if, through training, you can not either hold down a job that you could not hold down now, or fit yourself for a better job than you could hold down with your present knowledge and skill; that is, see if you do not think that out of all the different kinds of training open to you, there is some training that will help you to secure or hold down a better job in a navy yard than you could without the training.

If you can secure the approval of the Federal Board for Vocational Education for the particular sort of training that you desire, almost any sort of training is open to you.

Handicaps and how to Overcome Them

If you have a certain kind of disability, what is your chance in navy-yard occupations? Perhaps you have lost a leg or an arm or an eye; does this cut you out of any chance to work in a navy yard? It certainly does not. For example: if you have lost an arm, the number of jobs that you can do with one arm and an artificial arm are surprising; you can take training so that you can do almost any sort of clerical work or work in the drafting room. You can operate almost all machine tools in the machine shop. You can do shorthand or typewriting work.

If you have lost a leg you can learn to fill almost any position in a navy yard that does not require climbing or too much standing and walking. You can do almost any sort of clerical work as well as anybody else; you can operate almost all sorts of machine tools; you can do all sorts of assembling work, pattern making, and work in the drafting room.

If you have lost both legs, with artificial legs you can learn to fill almost any position where you can sit at your work. You can do this in the drafting room; in nearly all clerical positions; in many inspection jobs. There are many other jobs, such as work in the sail and rigging loft, in the tailor shop, and in the machine shop, where you can sit at the work.

If you have lost one leg and one arm you can still fill a number of positions; with an artificial arm and leg you can take training so that you can do about as well as a man with both legs and one arm. If you were right-handed and lost your right arm, you can be trained to use your left arm just as well. Even with one arm and both legs gone you can learn to fill almost all clerical positions, many jobs in the machine shop, many inspection jobs, and work in the drafting room.

The loss of an eye will not bother you at all; and if your hearing is partially or wholly destroyed, you can still learn to fill many positions in the shops where instructions come to you in the form of drawings.

Of course, the particular positions that you can fill depend on just the sort of an injury that you have sustained, and you should consult your vocational adviser about your own particular case; but if you are interested in navy-yard employment, you are not necessarily out of it on account of such injuries as are mentioned above.

What Sort of Work is Done in Navy Yards?

As a part of the work of the Navy, ships must be refitted, repaired, and overhauled, new ships must be built, and all sorts of material, equipment, and supplies must be manufactured and kept ready for use.

To provide for this work Congress has established navy yards and naval stations at various points on the coast which are a part of the Navy and are operated under its control.

These navy yards do a great many different sorts of work. Ships are sent to them for overhauling, alterations, and repairs. They serve as supply depots for all sorts of equipment, much of which is often made in the yard shops. In a number of the larger yards various sorts of naval vessels are built.

A navy yard carries on so many different kinds of work that it offers opportunities for employment in a great many trades and occupations. Some of these occupations are carried on in the open air. Some call for the operation of various machines turning out a standard product, while others deal with alteration or repair jobs. In some lines of work a man can sit or stand at this job, while in others he is continually moving about.

Besides the trades themselves a navy yard carries on a certain amount of office work, offering opportunities for employment in such work as stenography, typewriting, various kinds of clerical work, storekeeping, and mechanical, ordnance, and structural drafting.

Occupations in Navy Yards

If you are interested in looking into opportunities for employment in navy yards, you naturally want to know about the different occupations and something about the conditions under which they are carried on. The following descriptions of the more important kinds of work will give you a general idea of the different jobs and if you wish to secure further details about any particular line of work you can get them through your vocational adviser.

A navy yard operates a number of shops in which different trades are carried on. These “shop” trades are carried on in the same general way as in the same sort of shops anywhere. The same processes, tools, and machines are used.

In addition to the “shop” trades there are a number of occupations that are carried on outside of the shops and are shipbuilding trades, engaged in building ships and repairing them.

There are, speaking in a rough way, “shop” trades and “yard” trades. There are also, of course, certain office occupations as in any business, and a number of special occupations such as those of timekeepers, truck drivers, and tool-room keepers.

In addition to the trades and occupations mentioned above, navy yards employ a number of men in general maintenance and construction work, and in keeping up the plant and equipment, such as tracklayers, pile drivers, masons, and bricklayers.

PLAN No. 1028. SHOP TRADES

The Drafting Room

Drawings and blue prints are prepared here. Drafting rooms are usually well lighted and heated. The work is carried on at drawing tables and men can either sit or stand. As a rule work in the drafting room does not require a great deal of walking or standing at the work. The force usually consists of draftsmen of various grades, tracers, detail draftsmen. A blue-print room is usually connected with the drafting room where attendants on the blue-printing machine are employed. A few stenographers and clerks may be employed in connection with the work of this department.

PLAN No. 1029. POWER PLANT

Here steam and electrical power are developed for the general use of the yard. Work in a navy-yard power plant is no different from work in any power plant. Among the men employed are engineers of different grades, switchboard attendants, dynamo tenders, firemen, and water tenders. Engine and dynamo rooms are usually well lighted and heated and give comfortable working conditions. The fireroom is usually very hot, and the work is more or less hard and uncomfortable. Steam engineers are highly trained men and usually have to hold a license. They usually have served an apprenticeship in the fireroom.

PLAN No. 1030. MACHINE SHOP

Here all sorts of metals are worked, largely with machine tools. Machine shops are generally closed in so that the workmen are protected from the weather and are usually more or less heated. Much of the work requires standing, though workmen can often sit down at intervals while watching a piece of work on the machine. Since most of the work is done on power-driven machines and shops are usually provided with lifting and handling devices for heavy parts, work in the machine shop requires skill and intelligence but does not, as a rule, require heavy physical exercise.

Men employed include bench hands, machine hands, men who are familiar with the operation of one or more machine tools, machinist helpers and machine fitters (the latter put together machine parts and are able to fit, scrape, and ream, where necessary to secure tight, loose, and running fits), and all-around machinists or men who can operate all kinds of machine tools, fit parts on the bench, and erect or assemble all parts on the floor. A good machinist must be able to read all sorts of blue prints and drawings and must be able to make the necessary calculations for the various jobs.

Among the chief machine tools used are planers, boring mills, shapers, lathes, millers, drill presses, so-called “automatic machines” of various kinds, wet and dry grinders, and radial drills. These machines are of different sizes, according to the work to be done on them. In navy-yard machine shops some of the work is very heavy and the machines are very large.

PLAN No. 1031. BOILER SHOP

Here such fittings as boilers, condensers, smokestacks, and feed, filter, and fresh-water tanks are constructed from plates of sheet steel riveted together. These plates are got out from patterns or templates.

A boiler shop is usually closed in from the weather.

Among the men employed are blacksmiths, acetylene and oxy-hydrogen operators, layout men, men to operate various special machines for bending and flanging the plates, machinists, riveters, shippers, and calkers, drillers and reamers.

A good boiler maker must be able to read blue prints and lay out his work either on paper or metal.

PLAN No. 1032. BLACKSMITH SHOP

Here all sorts of blacksmith work is carried on. The shop is usually inclosed, but owing to smoke from the forges is generally kept more or less open, so that it is not usually warmer than the weather outside.

Among the tools used are steam or compressed air hammers, oil furnaces, large coal furnaces, forges (coal or gas), cranes for handling heavy work, dies, sledges, and hammers.

Much of the work is generally carried on by angle smiths who work angle iron, usually from wooden patterns called templates, and blacksmiths who work on all sorts of light machine and hand forgings. Smiths are aided by helpers. Much of the work is heavy and calls for considerable physical exertion and requires practically continuous standing. Some of the lighter work in a blacksmith shop is of a higher grade and calls for wide experience, good judgment, and close observation. Such work is that of the tool dressers, the spring makers, and the die hardeners or temperers.

PLAN No. 1033. PATTERN SHOP

Here are constructed wooden patterns from which castings are to be made. Pattern shops are usually well protected from the weather and afford comfortable working conditions. The men employed are pattern makers and pattern makers’ helpers.

As a rule, each pattern is completely made by one pattern maker. Much of the work is done with hand tools and often requires very fine and accurate work. A pattern maker must not only be able to do good work at the bench, but must be able to read blue prints and make his own “layout.”

Among the machines commonly found in a pattern shop are wood-turning lathes, band saws, circular saws, jig saws, planers, sanders, and drills.

Work in the pattern shop requires considerable walking and standing. It is generally light, since only infrequently is it necessary to handle heavy pieces.

PLAN No. 1034. JOINER SHOP

In the joiner shop are constructed all sorts of high-grade wood fittings such as desks, instrument cases, and companion ladders. The work does not differ from that in any joiner shop.

Employees include joiners and helpers. A good joiner must be able to read drawings and blue prints and when necessary he must be able to lay out his work on paper.

Among the common machines used are planers, handsaws, circular saws, mortisers, and tenoners.

As a rule the joiner shop is protected from the weather and the work is not heavy. The work often requires considerable standing and walking.

PLAN No. 1035. PIPE SHOP

Here all plumbing and pipe-fitting work is done. The shop is usually inclosed and protected from the weather. The work requires considerable walking and standing, much bending, reaching, and stooping. In repair and construction work a great deal of work has to be done on the ship in all sorts of places and often under very difficult working conditions.

Plumbers, pipe fitters, and helpers are employed. A good pipe fitter must be able to read blue prints and drawings and must know how to make various calculations such as figuring out lengths of pipe on various jobs.

PLAN No. 1036. FOUNDRY

All castings are made in the foundry. The shop is usually more or less open to the weather, and the work requires a good deal of walking and standing.

Among the men employed are molders, who place the patterns in the sand, and make the sand molds into which the melted metal is poured; cupola furnace tenders, who operate the furnace in which the iron is melted; and foundry shippers, who clean up castings. In addition, helpers and laborers are employed.

PLAN No. 1037. COPPER SHOP

All sorts of fittings made of sheet copper, as well as a great variety of copper pipes and connections are constructed in the copper shop. In much of the work the copper has to be shaped by hammering. There is also much work in the bending of copper pipes of all sizes. The shop is usually protected from the weather. In many cases men who work in this shop also install the fittings in the ship. Coppersmiths and helpers are employed. In some shops most of the work is done by hand and in others a number of machines are used. A good coppersmith must be able to read blue prints.

The work requires considerable walking about and much of it is hard, as it requires the use of heavy hammers.

PLAN No. 1038. SHEET-METAL SHOP

Products of the sheet-metal shop include such articles made from sheet-iron as tanks, lockers, ventilating cowls, and wire work. The shop is usually well protected from the weather. The work requires considerable standing and walking. A number of machines are usually included in the equipment. Sheet-metal workers of different grades are employed and also helpers. A good sheet-metal man must be able to read blue prints and must be able to lay out all sorts of work.

PLAN No. 1039. GALVANIZING SHOP

Metal fittings are covered with zinc to prevent rusting. As a rule but few skilled men are employed for this work which is done mostly by laborers. Work is practically carried on out of doors on account of fumes due to the acid used. It requires walking and standing.

PLAN No. 1040. ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT

This department installs and repairs all electrically operated equipment, including light and power lines. It also installs and repairs the electrical equipment on the ships that are built or are under repair. The work must be done all over the yard and everywhere on the ship. It requires much walking and climbing, much of it exposed to weather conditions. Very few machines are used, practically all the work being done with hand tools. A good electrician must be able to read all sorts of drawings and wiring diagrams.

Different grades of electricians, such as armature winders, storage-battery electricians, and men who make a specialty as, for example, of some special part of the work on telephones, are employed with helpers.

PLAN No. 1041. RIGGING LOFT

Here work on steel and manila rope and cables is carried on. Cables are spliced and all sorts of servings and fancy rope work are got out, such as man ropes, tiller ropes, and hammock clews. The rigging loft is usually protected from the weather. Much of the work, such as knotting and splicing, can be done sitting down. Practically all the work is done with hand tools.

PLAN No. 1042. MOLD LOFT

Here the plans of a ship under construction are laid out from the blue prints and patterns and wooden patterns, or “templates” for bending, cutting, and punching the steel parts of the ship are prepared. It usually is an inclosed building with a special floor large enough to lay out any part of a ship full size. The work in the mold loft requires almost constant standing, and kneeling or sitting on the floor. Loftsmen of different grades are employed. Loftsmen must be able to read all sorts of drawings and blue prints as they come from the drafting room and lay out the different parts on the mold-loft floor with great accuracy.

OUTSIDE TRADES, OFFICE WORK, AND MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

In addition to the regular shop trades there are a number of trades carried on in the yards and on ships in the open air and other employments in navy yard supply departments and offices. These employments have to do mainly with the construction of ships, repair work on hulls, maintenance of the plant, distribution of supplies, and other miscellaneous services.

Following is a brief description of the more important of these occupations.

PLAN No. 1043. SHAPING, BENDING, AND CUTTING STEEL FRAMES AND PLATES

This includes the work of shaping and bending steel beams (frames), cutting plates to proper sizes, bending them, and punching them for the rivet holes. The work is generally carried on in shops that are roofed over, but sometimes open on all sides. It is hard and requires standing practically all the time. Heavy machines, furnaces, and hammers are used. Among the men employed are angle-smiths, furnace men, frame benders, punchers, shearers, drillers, countersinkers, and sometimes acetylene operators.

PLAN No. 1044. RIVETING, CHIPPING AND CALKING, DRILLING, AND REAMING

On construction and repair work these occupations are all carried on in the open air. Riveting is usually carried on by gangs, consisting of a riveter, a holder-on, a heater, and sometimes a fourth man called a passer. The steel plates of a ship overlap and are held together by rivets which are passed through holes in both plates and headed up while hot. Riveting is usually done with pneumatic riveters or “guns” operated by compressed air. The riveter operates the gun on one side while the rivet is held in the hole by the holder-on, who has various tools that he uses for this purpose. The heater tends a small portable furnace in which the rivets are heated, picks them out as needed and sticks them in the holes or gives them to the passer. Sometimes he tosses the hot rivet directly to the holder-on. This work must be carried on out of doors in all weathers. The work of the riveter is hard, as he must handle the gun with from 100 to 150 pounds of air pressure in it and must work in all sorts of positions. The holder-on works under about the same conditions. Both jobs require men of strong physique. The heater has a somewhat easier job and boys are often employed for this work. Before the plates and other parts can be riveted or drilled and reamed they must be held fast in place. This is done by the use of bolts and nuts set up hard with a wrench. This work is also hard, and the working conditions are the same as in riveting and drilling and reaming.

Sometimes holes have not been punched where they are required, and they must be drilled. Holes as punched are often not exactly in line and must be reamed out before the rivets can be driven. This work is commonly done with machines driven by compressed air or electricity, handled by one man and a helper. It takes considerable strength to control the machine, and the general working conditions are about the same as in riveting.

There are many parts of a ship where joints must be made tight—that is, they must be calked. It is also often necessary to cut plates and other steel parts. This work is done with an air machine very similar to the air gun used by the riveter and is known as chipping and calking.

PLAN No. 1045. SHIP FITTING

The ship fitter gets out all sorts of wooden patterns (templates) for steel plates and other parts. Sometimes he makes his pattern directly from measurements taken on the ship, especially in repair work. A fitter may lay out the work directly from the drawing (blue print). The work is carried on mainly out of doors, calls for much walking and climbing, especially in repair work on ships. Ship fitters of different ratings and helpers are employed.

Among other navy-yard occupations are those of outside machinists, who install and adjust machinery on the ships; painters, who paint the woodwork and the steel; ship carpenters, who do all the work around the ways on which ships are built and launched; crane operators, who handle the steel and carry it from place to place; and locomotive firemen and engineers, who operate the small locomotives used for hauling material inside of the yard.

PLAN No. 1046. SUPPLY DEPARTMENT SERVICE

In order that ships and shops may be supplied, a navy yard operates what amounts to a huge department store—the supply department. Every conceivable article that goes to the general equipment of a ship, from drinking glasses to launch engines, is kept in stock and given out on order. For the shops great quantities of all sorts of stock, pipe, fittings, copper, lead, bronze, steel and so on, are carried, ready for distribution. In one yard alone the stock is valued at $50,000,000.

Since the supply department buys, fills orders, and delivers, it offers opportunity for employment in practically the same occupations as any large department store.

For each class of stock storekeepers are employed. A storekeeper must know every article by sight, stock marks, and the location of the bin or shelf where it is stored. He must keep track of the stock on hand and see that it is kept up. A storekeeper may be promoted to assistant manager and possibly to manager of a division.

The supply department offers employment also in such clerical occupations as checking, billing, and accounting, and, as in any large department store, truck drivers, packers, box makers, and other workers are employed in the delivery department.

PLAN No. 1047. OFFICE WORK

In addition to the trades and occupations carried on in the construction, repair, and maintenance work of the navy yard, there are a number of office and clerical occupations. In general, these occupations are carried on in the same manner as in the office of any business concern. The special forms and methods of doing the office work that are followed in the navy yard must, of course, be learned. These occupations include stenography, typewriting, filing, bookkeeping, cataloguing, general clerical work, library work, messenger work, telegraph and telephone operating, and various lines of special work.

Miscellaneous Occupations

The navy-yard list of occupations includes, also, a considerable number of miscellaneous occupations not mentioned among the regular mechanical “shop” and “yard” trades. Among these are glassworkers, glass molders, lens grinders, and instrument makers. In connection with work in the yard and on the buildings, a certain number of brick and stonemasons, pavers, house carpenters, dock builders, cranemen, house plumbers, stonecutters, and gardeners are employed.

PLAN No. 1048. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT IN NAVY YARDS

If you are interested in the possibility of working in a navy yard you will want to know something about the demand for men in each line of work done in the different yards, the wages paid to each class of workers, and other conditions of employment.

Demand for Labor

Navy yards and naval stations vary greatly in the amount and kind of work done and so vary in the number of men employed and in the different occupations carried on. The yards at Boston (Charleston), Mass.; Brooklyn, N. Y.; Norfolk, Va.; League Island, Philadelphia; Bremerton, Wash.; and Mare Island, Cal.; do all sorts of construction and repair work, and employ the largest working force in the greatest variety of occupations. The Washington Navy Yard, or Naval Gun Factory, does no shipbuilding and not much repair work. Its equipment and labor are practically entirely employed in making naval guns and all sorts of ordnance supplies so that it employs no men in shipbuilding and but few on repair occupations. The naval torpedo station at Newport, R. I., is almost wholly confined to the manufacture and assembly of torpedoes and torpedo appliances. Most of the other yards generally carry on only repair work and refitting, and employ men in most of the ordinary trades and occupations. At present there is little or no demand for regular navy-yard occupations at Pensacola, Fla. Of course, in all yards the working force is increased or decreased according to the amount of work that is going on in the yard. Naval stations employ fewer men and offer chances in fewer trades than do the navy yards proper.

In general, navy yards employ in the shops more men in the metal trades than in the woodworking trades. In the shops more machinists are likely to be employed than any other class of workers. Relatively few persons are employed in the offices in clerical work. The Norfolk, Boston, and Philadelphia Navy Yards offer more opportunity in these lines than any of the other yards.

In the yard trades the number of men employed depends largely on the amount of shipbuilding going on. Where shipbuilding is going on the greatest demand is for riveters, bolters up, chippers, and calkers, and drillers and reamers. Compared with the number of men employed in these trades relatively few men are employed in the mold loft, and in such occupations as crane operators, locomotive crane operators, firemen, and locomotive engineers.