This outfit business requires only a little common sense to be conducted economically. In the Navy a list of articles required for a naval cadet or midshipman is supplied to him, and no deviation therefrom is permitted. But no such hard-and-fast rule obtains in the Merchant Service. Uniform, of course, is compulsory, but beyond that the parent may use his own discretion. In the matter of underclothing, for instance, it may be taken for granted that what the lad already possesses will answer excellently well. Flannels, too, boating or cricketing, come in very useful; in fact, any of his old clothes are good enough to work in. In any case he should not have too large a stock, for however many clothes he may take with him, they will certainly require washing before a long sea passage is over; and too great an accumulation of dirty clothes is, for many reasons, undesirable. If I were asked to draw up a list of the requirements of a lad on his first voyage as apprentice in a southern-going ship, it would be something like this:--
A strongly-made chest, of three-quarter inch pine, dovetailed throughout, and without any iron about it, the lid and bottom very carefully fitted, should first be procured; such a chest as a working carpenter would be willing to make for a pound, but would cost at least double in a shop. It should have a small mirror fitted inside the lid, but removable, and also a tray dividing it into upper and lower compartments. Above all, it should be perfectly watertight when closed.
It should be painted black, with brass drop-bandies, and inch rising-pieces on the bottom.
Two suits of uniform clothing--one of fine blue cloth, the other of good blue serge.
Six white and French pique shirts for shore wear, with collars and ties.
Three woollen shirts { Not necessarily new, but such Three cotton shirts { as he has been wearing at { home or at school.
Six pairs of socks--three heavy and three light.
Four pairs of working trousers. (Any old ones that he has been wearing.)
Three pairs of blue jean overalls (Dungaree).
Several caps. (Old golf or cricketing caps are just the thing.)
A stout, wide-brimmed straw hat for harbour use in the country.
One dozen coloured cotton pocket-handkerchiefs.