Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-04-04
BOATS. MUSTER AT SEA.
mo ere ana ne.. Dsm on Board .

oOAtS MUSTER Al SEA
Tho Fire and Bost Drin ON Board Of
Transatlantic Steamers.
In these days of ingenious marine
inventions it is inexcusable if ship be
sent to sea unfinished with the best of
those life-saving appliances which
modern ingenuity has produced New
ertheless, it unfortunately does very
often happen that when shipwreck
occurs a score of contrivances for life
saving which ought to be on board are
wanting. Sometimes it is the boats
that are at fault-perhaps they are
slowed bottom up, or hang in badly
working davits-and the ship sinks
before they can be cleared and got over
the side.
Things are nowadays better ordered
on the great transatlantic liners, on the
best of which the crews are periodical
~ drilled in handling the ships boats,
in watering and provisioning them,
and in preserving their seaworthiness
as structures liable to be required at
any hour of the day or night for inn
mediate use. In some lines the men
are mustered and sent through their
fire and boat drill on the morning of
the day before leaving England. The
men assemble to the shrill cry of the
boatswain's whistle, the watches are
called, and then all are told off to
their respective stations. This is
called the captains muster An hour
later the whole crew are again mus
tered. put through their drill, and
piped down. The ship is then in
spected and steam ordered. Then
there is fire and boat-drill once at sea
during the voyage. when the chief
officer sees that the men are at their
stations. and reports the fact to the
captain. The pumps are tried. and the
third officer takes his station on the
main-deck and sees that the hands are
at their places there by the water
tight doors The crew are then told
off to their respective boats, and after
the chief officer has noted that the men
are in their proper places, several of
the boats are swung out and in. One
can see, from the promptness with
which each man springs to his post at
the boats wain's hoarse command. how
custom would be sure to prevail and
form the deeply-needed discipline in
time of danger.
In the distribution of the boats, in
case of having to abandon the ship,
the captain takes No. l starboard life
boat, the four mates have charge of
other boats and cutters, and the boat
swain, carpenter and quartermasters
take command of the remainder. Every
body knows his own boat. for regis
ter of boat-stations is kept, with the
names of the crew of each boat. There
can be no confusion in that respect at
least. The instructions are exceeding
~ simple in case of leaving the ship.
1t is the duty of the officers to see
their respective boats ready for lower
ing, and to guard against any one
entering or attempting to lower boat
without the captains personal order.
Then the surgeon, chief steward, cooks,
chief waiter, baker and butcher get
water and provisions ready, and see that
each boat is victualed. The duty of
procuring compasses, nautical instru-
ments, lamps, blue lights and rockets
rests with the officers in command of
the boats. The water-breakers are al
ways kept ready filled. each officer
seeing to his boat in this respect. The
water is renewed at least once a week.
The life-boats are all fitted with two
air-tight galvanized iron tanks, in
which all necessary provisions may be
stored. They generally pull ten oars
double banked, and under every mans
seat there is hung life-belt formed of
cork.
One who witnesses this drill at sea
can not fail to be impressed by it. It
is not little reassuring when the eye
seeks the wide ocean. and the mind
thinks of the crowds of human beings
on board snip. to mark the man-of-
war-like discipline that these plain
merchant sailors fall so easily into. to
observe the swiftness with which they
swing out each large and powerful life
boat over the side clear to its falls, and
to listen to the furious gushing of the
thick streams of water from the hose,
ready in a breath to be pointed to
flame the instant it is discovered
Harper's Weekly.