The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-04-03
THE WORK DIVIDED.
What Il Means TO Run an Ocean Grey.
b6und

What Il Means to Run an Ocean Grey.
hound.
Just as the government Of the city
Of New York is divided among the
Mayor, Aldermen and boards and com
nlssloners OF various departments so
the administration Of a giant steam
ship is divided into specialties, says
Halpers Round Table. The Mayor Is
the chief officer Of the city. The Cap
tain 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 Of all
the property in it. He is an autocrat.
/ OF course he must administer his au-
thority wisely Unwise autocrats don't
last long. whether afloat or ashore.
The head Of each department is re-
sponsiblc for all that goes on in it, The
first officer is at the head of the crew.
or navigating department. 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 passengers and
cdew Each Of these chiefs makes n
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 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 duty. The senior
officer directs the ships course. lie
never leaves the bridge while he is on
watch. Should he do so he would be
dismissed 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 sail
ing ship days the Captain was content
to "take the sun" at noon every day.
If 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 twenty miles
an hour, it is highly important that
the ships position be known at all
times Fog may come down at any
moment observations may not be OBJ
tainable for ten or twelve hours. The
positions of more than 100 stars are
known. BY observing any one Of these
the ships whereabouts can be ascer-
, tanned in a few minutes. OF course the
"road" becomes more or less familiar
to a man who crosses the ocean along
the same route year after year Yet
this familiarity never breeds contempt
or any earelessness. No man knows
all the influences that affect the cur
rents Of the ocean. You may find the
current in one place the same forty
times in succession; on the forty-tirst
trip it may be entirely changed. Some
, times a big storm that has ended foul
or five hours before the steamship
passes a certain place may have giveI
the surface current a strong set in ont
direction. There is no means of telling
when these influences may have beer
at work save by taking the ships posi-
ton frequently.