The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-09
PRESENCE OF MIND At SEA.
An Old ssfIorman Recalls Instances In
Which IL was All Important.

speaking OF the presence Of mind at
sea. reflected the old Boston mariner.
Il remember that many years ago, when
Captain William T. Glidden, formerly Of
the firm OF Glidden & Williams, was in
command OF a ship bound 10 New orleans,
she was struck by a squall off the south
side OF Cuba, and the head OF the fore
mast. close to the eyes Of the rigging.
splintered and broke. but held together.
The topmast canted TO leeward. and II
would have gone over the side II the
broken part had separated, Captain
Glidden kept the ship off. brought the
topmast upright by the backstays. and
then took a square spar. rove II up
through the catharpins, dashed t arouni
the broken head OF the foremost and the
heel, or doublings, Of the topmast. and
around the foremast below the ;op. and
thus secured the lower mast. the topmast,
and all above them.
ITO think this out was the work Of a
second. but hours were required 20 make
IT complete. BY presence OF mind and
using the material at hand. Captain Gid
den saved the expense and delay OF put
ting into port. Seamen. as a general rule
are ready reasoners. There are no given
rules by which a disaster can be repaired
at sea. all depends upon the experience
and skill Of the Captain or the officers.
a Captain who is not an unmitiCated
egotist will act upon a him suggested by
n common seaman.
IAN illustration Of his kind occurred
In which "a link Of the sings OF the main
yard was broken. While securing the
yard with n tackle, n sailor suggested
that a shackle would supply the place Of
the broken link. There were several
shackles on board. evidently designed for
that purpose. which had attracted the
sailors notice in clearing out a locker.
but which were unknown to her Captain
and mates. In addition to these there
were shackles for every piece OF chain
rigging In the ship. and for the cables.
too. The sailor, in turning them over,
OWNED their use. On that same voyage.
while bringing the ship up I'm the river
Mersey during a gale. at Liverpool. the
cable parted. but another anchor and
chaln saved her from drifting ashore.
Al low water the parted chain and an
chor were recovered. and the broken
INK was replaced by a shackle. The ship
master who fitted the ship out when new
had provided for such contingencies. but
as she was then some ten years old. the
means TO meet them were unknown to her
oiilcers. The intelligence Of the common
sailor rendered them available. These
ana various other means TO repair ac-
cidents had been regarded as so much
ola iron. This led the Captain to over
maui the contents OF every locker>in the
ship and he found appliances for con-
structing n jury rudder. for repairing
pumps. stopping leaks. and so on. and
had them all properly assorted. ia, they
might be used when required. IL was
evident that he who had fitted the shin
ont was a man OF thought and extensive
experience, and had made provision to
meet accidents that were liable 70 occur
when Captain Eben HOwes command
ed the New York packet Roscius a man
fell overheard while the ship was going
rapidly through the water. Not only
were the life buoys cut adrift. but spare
studding sail yards. billets Of wood and
planks were thrown overheard. and a
man was sent aloft to look out while the
ship was being brought to the wind and
the lee quarter boat was made ready for
lowering. A passenger asked Captain
Howes why he had thrown so many
things overheard. He was answered.
because they would be guides TO the
boat in looking after the man. In a sea-
way the life buoys. as we'll as the man.
might escape the notice OF those I'm the
boat. and in such an event. the other
articles woul multiply the chances OF
finding the man. Guided by the articles.
the boat. after and hours search, found
the man safely floated by a life buoy and
in good condition. He had seen some Of
the driftwoOd, and being a good swimmer,
made toward IL and was saved. Captain
Cressey. in the ship Flying Cloud. saved
a man by the same means, after he had
been two hours in the water. 4 mans
head Is a small object to find In a sea-
way, hence the prudence or throwing ar
ticles overheard as guides TO find him"
Dor+cn Herald