The Portland daily press., 1884-02-11
DISCIPLINE.
Xhe huies for she Safety of Passenger.
Aaoptcd by she Allnn Line and Portland
steam Packet Company.

Ths Rules for she Safety of Passenger.
adopted by the Alinn Lime and Portland
steam Packet Company.
A writer In the Sunday Herald gives the fol-
lowing interested account of the discipline
adopted on the Allan line of steamers from
Liverpool, and the Portland and Boston steam
facKst company for the safety CT persons:
Inc Alian line aims to keep good man in
ts employ 80 long as is possible. AS a
rule though they ere all paid off aud discharg-
cd at the end of the trip, in accordance with
English regulations. but they at once reengag.
cd, and In this way the great majority of sea.
men stay IN the service of the company for
many years. The regular discharge applies to
seameD, not TO officers. The latter are engag.
ed Tor year or longer, according to circum-
stances. Some of the quartermasters have
sailed on the Allan line boats for thjrty years.
Great care Seems to be used in the selection of
crew, and most of the officers have risen to
their present places in the COMPANY emplov
beginning at the very bottom and gaining pro-
motion according to merit 1t is require
ment OF the line that every second officer shall
have secured chief officers certificate and
every chief cfficer captains. In this way
the capacity OF the officers is pretty accurately
measured; for "luck" Can never help man
through the searching examination which tha
law demands. Before the Allan steamships
leave pori, as is the case with other Euglisn
vessels, inspectors 60 aboard and make thor.
ough examination of the appliances, men and
provisions The sailors are drilled in their
presence, clearing away the lifeboats and
swinging them over the sides of the ship Ey-
cry man knows TO what beat he is assigned.
and each has number. The command of
each boat IS given to person who is known to
thoroughly understand his duties, and the
boats are lowered into the water with surprs.
Ing quicknes. The marine inspector, so called
examines each man separately to ascertain his
physical condition, and the whole ship ia given
searching scrutiny from stem to stern. La
addition to these inspections, every ship is
locked once year, its bottom scraped and
close search made for flaws and weak spots
During the voyage rigid discipline is MAIN
taiaed, and all are held cloFe in their work
Two men are on the lookout at all times, and
two officers and two quartermasters watch the
compasses constantly TO see that the ship holds
| to her course. During the day (uniess the
ship is steered by steam) two qusrtermasiers
are IN the wheelhouse, and at Light they are
joined by Two seameD, who assist them at the
wheel. The extra force is put on at night be-
cause 1t Is not then SO easy to see, and the
| wheel can be thrown quickly BY eight strong
hands When steam power is employed the
rudder can be worked almost by the strength
| OF niger. and many hands are net needed
Inere are always two officers on watch the
nrst and third and second and fourth beirg on
| duty together.
| No officer is ever allowed to 20 inside while
on duty, and none ever think of leaving the
deck until they are relieved. The captain new
or goes below until they are in the open sea,
ande sometimes never leaves his post for
days together. A gentleman who came over on
| enc OF these boats not long ago remarks
| that the captain was on duty for 90
hours without rest, and then, the weather
being heavy, retired only for short hour. The
captain and the chief officer each keep book
| IN which the variations of the compass at all
| special points are recorded, and, in addition to
| this, make record of variations during the
voyage: In this way the variations are we'll
determined and the true course clearly known.
Wnen these omcers leave the company or are
transferred TO some other SERVICE the books
| are given to their successors who ia turn keep
other records and make valuable comparisons.
| ibis custom assures accuracy. The lifeboats
are made to accommodate 90 persons each.
| There are supposed to be enough of them TO
noid al Inc passengers, except whom the .im-
migration season il at its height Sat that
| time 1t would be impossible" says an officer
Ito carry lifeboats enough to hold them all.
However, the life raft would accom-
are always at hand. We mean to have
| ever thing ready, and to have the crew
understand every detail of work, in case of &C.
| cldent, be continued; "but we don't mean to
| Hdfc dUy dCClQEutS. II caro- anu money can
| furnish safeguards against them.'' 1t is the
ontof the Allan ships to watch officers
narrowly and take no excuses for neglect of
DUTY, on the principle that a man who forgets
himself once can never be relied upon alter
ward. Believing, too, that familiarity with
the ways of ship is desirable IN its men, the
managers place special emphasis on the neces-
slty OF making it an object for them TO hold
their places year after year.
The fire drills, which take place, like the
hQforo Fho pfo
perfect test of the ability of the men TO hair
die the apparatus, and The frequent inspection
OF the hose, which stretches to all quarters of
British ships, necessitates keeping it in good
order. la this, as in the other drill, each man
knows his position, number and duties, and is
not allowed to forget them.
The line between Boston and Portland runs
two fine steamers, the fremont and the Forest
City, which leave the t 20 termini on alternate
afternoons All the requirements of the law in
respect to protection against fire and the saw
ing OF life in case of need are complied with
Six metallic lifeboats, two liferafts and plenty
OF life preservers constitute the equipment for
the safety OF passengers in case of wreck. Each
lifeboat is said TO be capable of CARRYING 30
persons but whether tbs RATS would prove
sufficient fer ths balance of the $50 or more
persons liable to be on the steamer may be
questioned. They certainly would not furnish
very comfortable accommodations. Per
haps 1t Is the design of the inspec-
tors to provide for the average number
of passengers, rather than for the maximum
number. AS regards the ability of the officers
there appears TO be no question but they would
prove themselves abundantiy qualified in case
Of danger, as well as in the common every-
DAY routine OF duty. Happily, however, there
has never yet been occasion to test them.
The crew numbers, all told about 60, but the
end OF every trip almost sees some men leave
for one reason or another, and now men must
be secured to fill the vacancies. For this rea-
son u Is Claimed to be impossible to secure the
drill and discipline that can be obtained on
vessels making longer lrips The men are
frequently drilled in their duties in case OF fire
or accident, but with the constant changing
OF the crew there must necessarily be more or
less green hands