Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-03-21
THE SEA CAPTAIN.

what Il Means 20 Run an Ocean
Greyhound.
Just as the government of the city
Of New York Is divided among the
mayor, aldermen and boards and COM
missioners of various departments, SO
the administration of giant steam
ship Is divided into specialties. 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 en-
ters port he is master of the life and
liberty OF every person aboard the
ship. as well as of all the property in
it. He Is an autocrat. OF course he
must administer his authority wisely
Unwise autocrats don't last long,
whether afioat or ashore.
The head of each department is re-
sponsible for all that goes on in L..
The first officer Is at the head OF the
crew, or navigating department. The
chief engineer directs everything con-
nected with the engines. The chief
steward has full control OF all that
has TO do with the comfort of the pas
sengers and crew. Each of these
chiefs makes a written report at noon
every day. Thus the captain Is kept
informed of everything pertaining TO
the ships welfare.
Every one of the senior officers Of
the ship is q duly qualified master,
capable of taking her around the
world il need be. The day IL divided
into watches" or tours of duty, OF
four hours each. One Junior officer il
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 so he would be dismissed al
once. There is no excuse possible. u
would be just as II he died suddenly
His friends would all feel sorry, bul
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 or
! the lookout In thick weather. Observa
/ tions are taken every two hours. II
! the good old sailing-ship days the cap
7 tain was content TO take the sun a.
noon every day. III the sky was
cloudy for day or two. II really dill
| not matter much, for he could jot
/ alOuk Oh TIE utdu ttthuhlhSs Aht ~
I an ocean greyhound, rushing over th'
! course between New York and Europ'
at the rate of more than twenty milei
an hour, 1t is highly important tina
the ships position be known all th,
time. Fog may come down at any mo
/ ment, observations may not be obtain
able for ten or twelve hours. The pc
sitions Of more than one hundred star
are known. BY observing any one o
these the ships whereabouts can b
ascertained In a few minutes. .
course the road" becomes more o
less familiar TO man who crosses tn
ocean along the same route year afte
year Yet this familiarity never breed
contempt or any carelessness. No ma
knows all the influences that affec
the currents of the ocean. You ma
find the current in one place the sam
forty times in succession; on the forty
first trip 1t may be entirely changed
Sometimes big storm that has ende
four OF five hours before the STEAMSHIP
passes certain place may have give
the surface current strong set in on
direction There il no means of tel
] ing when these influences may has
been at work save by taking the ship
position frequently IIarper's Roun
Table