The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-29
A Startling Cry on spSpboard -kules .
AckfnM.


New York T1ne&
There Is no sound aboard snip 50 demon
aiixing ns that Of Man oyerboards" II
strikes terror 10 the heart Of the brxvest
of naen and Only the best disciplined crews
csn Withstand the panic il usually pro-
dnces. Almost every ship has a particular
r,sie o. ectinn for sssch Occurrences The
best Ereconeerfed arrangements. however.
are often inapplieabic. ard success depends
mainly en- the presence Of mind OF watch.
tIe man AZ the life buoy. and the normal
condition o. the boats.
cool hand viii sometimes drop life
bgoy within reach o. man: ..bothered'
one will either not LEI ~ at all or do sebe-
fore the man has got near the STERN. OF
all persons aboard ship the officer OF the
deck should be cool amp collected.
RearAdmiral s. b. Luce lays down the
principle that the most important consid-
erafioBs when man fails overheard. are:
l. The quickest and most etfectsal method
OF arresting the ships progress and how 10
keep her a. near the spot where the man
feli Is possible. . To preserve the gem
eral discipline of the ship. TO maintain ST.
ienee, and TO enfore the most prompt obe-
disncr, without permitting fooshardy vol
unteering of any kind 3. To see that the
boat appointed to be employed on these oc-
casions il placed in such a manner that she
may be cast loose In moment. and. when
ready for lowering, that she is property
manned and fitted go as 10 be efficieniin all
respects when she reaches rhe water. T. To
take care in lowering the boat neither To
siave CT swamp her nor pitch the men out.
Ana, lastly. To have sufficient number OF
the sharp-sighted men in the ship stationed
aioft in srleh a manner IS 10 give them the
best chance not only OF discovering fheper-
son overheard but of pointing him out 10
the men in the boat. who may not other
wise know in what direction to pull.
With steamers the difficulties 10 oyer
come in reScuing man overheard are COM
paratjyeiy few. inasmueh as steam vessel
IL always under control so long as the ma
chinery is in good order. The rule is to
stop as quickly as possible, lower the lee
.ifeboat and pick the man up. The really
fine points OF seamanship come into play
when sailing ships are being handled. The
ordeal is trying one for the best OF officers.
and the young seamen who can properly
place large sailing ship and rescue man
that has fallen overheard deserve the high
est credit for seamanllke qualities.
Rear Admiral Luce, one of the best sea-
men in the United States navy, and now
on the retired list, had favorite habit
while in command of the North Atlantic
squadron of ordering a midshipnan to re-
leave the officer OF the deck from duty, and
the moment the young man took hold of
the speaking trumpet the observant officer
would quickly pass a signal and in twink
ling the terrible cry of Man overheard"
would ring through the ship. 1t was all
done TO test the young midshipman's nerve
and fitness for his calling, and the admiral's
delight in catching young officer mapping
WAS amusing. Generally, however, com
handing officers refrain from allowing the
cry to be sounded solely for practice pur-
poses, inasmuch as seamen have been
known Ia jump overheard to the rescue OF
their supposed unfortunate shipmate. The
rule is a stringent one that no sailor Is al
lowed TO jump overheard for rescuing pur-
poses unless permitted by the officer of the
deck. bat many brave fellows do SO in spite
of the regulation. and no few lives have
been lost in fooihardy undertakings.