The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-06-05
STORIES OF THE SEA.
Why "A Young Ohicer Sought "a Berth In n
Tramp Steamer.


do you see that young fellow COM
ing ashore from that tramp said
habitue of the docks and an old eX-sea
dog, TO the ancient mariner yesterday.
We'll he is one of the many young
officers who has left the employ of the
great liners of the western ocean to
become an officer on that tramp
Why any man should abandon the
prospect of eventually commanding
one of the magnificent passenger ships
which ply with almost the regularity
of a ferry boat between New York and
England and the continent of Europe
to bring himself in an unknown branch
was a trifle too much for the ancient
mariner. 1t is not human nature to
give up the good things of life volun-
tarily, and the command of a big
ocean liner is reckoned, at least by fell
lows ashore, among the good things"
At sea the master of a fine ship is not
unlike a little king. He is monarch of
all he surveys. Into his hands, says
the Galveston News, are given the
keeping of the destinies of the whole
ships company, which often amounts
TO more than 1000 souls. The captain
or "old man" is looked up to and res
pected more than any petty prince in
the land while at sea. Ashore he APP
pears snug in his cabin and his apart
menments abound with every evidence
of luxurious comfort. But is he a hap
by man? The old sea dog who was
talking to the ancient mariner was
rather inclined to the impression that
while the ship captain my be a king.
he is not unlike the fellow VINO slept
! uneasily because he wore a crown. He
proceeded:
You see IL is this way. There is a
fierce rivalry between the different
lines for passenger business. Every
toat in the fleet possesses it's own pc
culiar reputation, and IL is the 'regu-
lar boat which does the business. Now
let us see what that regularity means.
\ steamer leaves Queenstown. let us
say. she pounds across the ocean at
break neck speed. Just as fast as she
can go she is driven. The owners know
just how far she can &c. and they eX
rect the engineers to get every inch
| Of speed ont of her that she is capable
Of. If thu seas are high she is driven
! through them. If the winds are fair
SO much the better. OH the banks Of
Newfoundland we always look out for
fogs. Al certain seasons Of the year
iCebergs are also to be expected. At all
Sc asons many sailing boats and fishing
vessels are to be looked out for. Well
about this time the ships officers get
an observation. and their position Is
picked out on the chart. Then the fog
shuts the ship in. There is no chance
for an observation. The officer on the
fridge and the lookout peer with all
D
every hand surrounds them. Not a
thing is to be seen save the world Of
fog IL is a case of dead reckoning OF
stop. But there is not "A ship captain
in an Atlantic line who would dare
stop his ship. l will go further and say
that there is not one who would even
slow her down without being called
upon the instant he made port for his
reason for being late. And the owners
OF these ships are not in the habit of
accepting days Of fog as an excuse. The
/ officers keep the bridge with their
I hearts in their mouths. If a vessel
/ looms up ahead like a dark shadow
/ against the background of gray fog,
/ IL takes only an instant to tell the
/ tale.
The big ship may be sheered OF or
| she may plough through her smaller
/ and less fortunate neignbor. II would
/ be worse than useless TO try 10 stop
I Such a vessel with such Roadway
/ could never be stopped in time. These
accidents are not frequent. BE il said
| TO the credit Of those men who sail the
/ Atlantic liners, they are splendid sea
I men. They navigate their vessels
/ through the fog on dead reckoning and
/ they are seldom at fault. Their skill
I In this Is the high art ef navigation.
/ But the strain upon them-the con-
slant anxiety-that is what kills The
/ passenger PAGES the promenade deck
and maryels at these pathnnders II
/ the sea. But they do not know. they