The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-10
GOVERNING AN OCEAN STEAMER
Reports Are Received by the Capital
Daily from All His subordinates.

Reports Are Received by the Captaiz
Daily from All His subordinates.
Just as the government of the city i,
divided among the mayor, aldermen and
boards of commissioners of various de.
partments, So the administration OF
a giant steamship is divided into spe
cialties. The mayor is the chief officer
of the city. The captain is the CHIEF
officer of the ship. He is more than
that. From the time she leaves port
until she enters port he is master of the
life and liberty of every person aboard
the ship, as well as all property IN it,
He is an autocrat. Of course, he must
administer his authority wisely. I'm
wise autocrats don't last long, whether
afoat or ashore.
The head of each department is re
sponsibie for all that goes in 1T. The
first officer is at the head of the crew. or
navigating department. The chief en-.
.gineer directs everything connected
with the engines. The chief steward
has full control of all that has to dc
with the comfort of the passengers and
crew. Each of these chiefs makes a
written report at noon every day. Thus
the captain is kept informed of every.
thing pertaining to the SHIPS welfare.
Every one of the senior officers of the
ship is 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 duty. The senior
officer directs the ships course. He
never leaves the bridge while he is on
watch. Should he do go he would be
dismissed at once. There is no excuse
possible. Itwould be just as if he had
died suddenly. His friends would all
feel sorry, but nothing could be done to
help him. Two seamen 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 ''tal1e
the sun" at noon every day. Ii the sky
was cloudy for day or two it really
didn't matter much, for he could Jog
along On dead reckoning. But on an
ocean greyhound, rushing over the
course between New York and Europe
at the rate Of more than 20 miles an
hour, it is highly important that the
ships position be known all the time.
Fog may come down at any moment,
observations may not be obtainable for
ten or twelve hours. The positions OF
more than 100 stars are known. By OBJ
serving one of these the ships wherea-
bouts can be ascertained in few min
utes. Of course, the road" becomes
more or less familiar to man who
crosses the ocean along the same route
year after year. Yet this familiarity
never breeds contempt or careleseness.
No man knows all the influences thataf-
feet the currents of the ocean. You
may find the current in one place the
same 40 times In succession; on the dist
trip it may be entirely changed. Some
times big storm that has ended four
or five hours before the steamship
passes certain place may have given
the surface current strong set in one
direction. There is no means of telling
when these influences may have been at
work, save by taking the ships position
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Round Table.