Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1896-04-07
AN OCEAN GREYHOUND.
ITS Government ana Control, aud
what 1t Means 10 Run It.

what 1t Means TO Run n.
Just as the government OF the
city of New York is divided among
the Mayor, Aldermen and boards |
and Commissioners of various de-
partments, So The administration
of a giant steamship is divided in
to specialties. The Mayor is the
chief officer Of the city. The cap
tain is the chez officer of the ship.
lie is more tlan that. From the
time she leaves port uAtil she en-
ters port he J., the master of the
life and liberty of every person
aboard the ship, as we'll as of all
the property in it. He is an auto
crat. OF course, he must admin
lister his authority wisely. Unwise
autocrats don't last long, whether
atloat or ashore.
The head OF each department is
responsible for all that goes on in
il. The first officer is the head of
the crew, or navigating depart
ment. The chief engineer directs
everything connected with the
engines. The chief steward has
full control of all that has to do
with the comfort of the passeng-
ers and crew. Each of the chiefs
makes II written report at noon
every day. Thus the captain is
kept informed of everything per-
tanning to the ships welfare.
Every one of the senior officers
Of the ship is a duly qualified
master, capable of taking her
around the world if need be. The
day is divided into watches" or
tours OF duty, Of four hours each.
One junior officer is on the bridge
with each senior officer on outy.
The senior officer directs the
ships course. He never leaves
the bridge while he is on watch
Should he do SO he would be dis
missed at once. There is no eX-
cuse possible. 1t would be just
as if he had died suddenly. His
friends would all feel sorry, but
nothing could be done to help
him. Two scamen are always on
watch in the bow of the ship, and
two more in the foretop. Twice
as many are on the lookout in
thick weather. Observations are
taken every two hours. In the
good old sailing ship days the
captain was content to take the
sun" at noon every day. III the
sky was clouded for a day or two
it really didn't matter much, fol
he could jog along on dead reckon
ing.
But on an ocean greyhound
rushing over the course between
New York and Europe at the rate
of more than twenty miles an hour
il is highly important that the
ships position be known all the
time. Fog may come down Mt any
moment, observations may not bC
obtainable for ten or more hodrs
The positions of more than on,
hundred stars are known. by oh
serving any one of these the Ship
whereabouts can be ascertained IL
few minutes. OF course, thu
road" becomes more or less fam
liar to man who crosses tn,
ocean along the same route yea,
after year. Yet this familiarity
never breeds contempt or any
carelessness. No man knows al
the influences that affect the cur
rents of the ocean. You may fine
the current in one place the same
forty times in succession; on thu
forty first trip it may be entirel.
changed. Sometimes a big storm
that has ended four or five hours
before the steamship passes Ger
tain place may have given the
surface currents a strong set III ont
direction. There is no means o
telling when these influences may
have been at work save by taking
the ships position frequently
Harper's Round Table.