and in some cases black chief petty officers.  It stands to reason that they must have been mighty good men to advance.  They surely must know their business—­every inch of it—­to advance to these ratings.  Yet they are not wanted in these ratings because they involve the black man having charge of white men under him.  Outside of the messman branch you will find comparatively few Negroes in the Navy today.

“There should be ‘black ships’ assigned to be manned by American Negroes.  These are days of democracy, equality and freedom,” continues the writer.  “If a man is good enough to go over the top and die for these principles, he is good enough to promote in the Navy.  Why not try it?  Put the black men on their own ships.  Promote them, rate them, just the same as the white man.  But above all keep them on their own ships.  It is fair to them and fair to the white men.  The Brazilian and Argentine navies have ‘black ships.’”

Recruiting officers of the Navy have recently opened the doors to discharged Negro soldiers, and some civilians.  If physically fit they are permitted to enlist as machinists and electricians.  The Navy has opened a school for machinists at Charleston, S.C., and a school for electricians at Hampton Roads, Va.

Men for the machinists’ school are enlisted as firemen 3rd class.  While in training they are paid $30 a month.  They also receive their clothing allotment, their food, dry comfortable quarters in which to live, and all text books and practical working tools.  In return for this chance to become proficient in a very necessary trade, all that is required of those enlisting is a knowledge of common fractions, ambition to learn the trade, energy and a strict attention to the instruction given them.

Subjects taught in the course are arithmetic, note book sketching, practical engineering, theoretical engineering, clipping and filing, drilling, pipe fitting, repair work, rebabbiting, brazing, tin smithing, lathes, shapers, milling machines and grinders.  It will be seen that they get a vast amount of mechanical knowledge and practically two trades, machinists and engineering.

In the electrical school the course is equally thorough.  The men get a high grade of instruction, regardless of cost of material and tools.  The best text books that can be had are available for their use.

This liberality in order to get machinists and electricians in the Navy, argues that some change of attitude towards the Negro is contemplated.

It may evolve into the establishment of “black ships.”  The Negro sailor has been pleading for years that his color has been a bar to him.  With a ship of his own, would come his chance.  He would strive; do all within his power to make it a success and would succeed.

CHAPTER IX.

Previous wars in which the negro figured.