Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-07-06
steamship C0prntns.

The commander Of one of the big veg
sels carrying hundreds Of lives and big
fortunes IN merchandise and incalcusble
values represented in the bags Of mail is
a great man. He is absolute ruler of a
small town for from ak days to two
weeks, according to the length Of tie
voyage. The preservation of the shin
which msy be worth 81, 900, 600 or more.
the safety of the passengers and of the
freight and mail, depend solely upon
him. He must govern the crew more
wisely, shrewdly and sternly than q gem
eral must control his army; he must be
prepared TO withstand the attacks of the
forces OF air, aud ocean with as much
xii and alertness as the leader Of an
army must show against a surrounding
enemy. His responsibility never ends,
not even when he is asleep. Sometimes
The dangers which beset him for
bid any attempt to sleep, and
hour after hour the captain muss
stand upon the high bridge exposed
to all manner Of storms. Often has a
commander come into port from a peril
u journey, during which for two days
and nights he has not left his bridge ex-
cept four or five times and then only for
five minutes at a time. Yet for ali this
responsibility the captain doesn't get
large pay. What salaries the different
lines give these men, TO whom they in.
trust so much that is precious-human
life, valuable csrgoes and costly vessels
than $5, 600; often it Is less than that, and
frequently it is as low as 81 900 a year.
A certain captain, talking tho other day
about what he earned, related that he made
two trips, which netted him at the ratio
of $40, 900 a year. He said it proudly, as
if it was a great thing, but he added n
moment later:
But this was only for two trips, and on
each trip had surrendered my staterooB
at large rates" This captain, after AL,
did not put SO high a value On the money
given him as he did On the honor he had
in being commander of a great steamer.
That position is the highest place ia the
calling TO which a sea-faring man can
get. And il takes industry, study and
years Of successful service TO become one.
A captain does not get all the educa-
ton which makes him capable of assum
ing command Of an Umbria, a City OF
Paris. q La Champagne, merely from
the rough outdoor experience of the
deck. There IN be much study OF
books. He must know something Of the
art OF shipbuilding, of engineering; he
must know a good deal of the meteurol-
ogy he must be a master of the moods OF
old ocean, the currents and lanes AS dis
covery has set them forth; he must have
The mathematics Of navigation completely
under control, aud he must have a gen
eral knowledge OF the politics and laws
of The high seas In fine, the sea captain
has got to be an educated man as well as
a brave sailor. The examination which
ia given by the English government under
the auspices OF its board OF trade is rigid.
and it is not every applicant who can
pass it and get the certificate showing
that he is worthy Of being made u cap
tain.
Most Of the great captains are Of En-
fish birth. Though there is nothing to
prevent an American from taking the
English examination and being made the
boss Of one Of the big boats, yet there ia
a prejudice on the other side in favor Of
the British sailor. This was manifested
when the crew Of the City OF New York
was made up. 1t was SAID then that iht
English government required that all thu
men should be subjects Of the crown.