The San Francisco call., 1896-03-16
AN OCEAN GREYHOUND.

It's Government and Control, and What
1t Means TO Run 1t.
Just as the government of the city OF
New York is divided among the Mayor,
Aldermen and boards and Commissioners
of various departments, so the admins
tration of giant steamship 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 enters
port he is the 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. Onwise autocrats
don't last long, whether afloat or ashore.
The head of each department is respon-
sible for all that goes on in it. The f1rst OIL
Ger is at the head of the crew, or navlgat-
ing department. The chief engineer ol-
rects everything connected with the en-,
gines. The chief steward has full control
of all that has to do with the comfort OF
the passengers and crew. Each OF the
chiefs makes a written report at noon
every day. Thus the captain is kept IN
formed of everything pertaining to the
ships welfare.
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 so he would be dismissed at once.
There is no excuse possible. 1t would be
lust 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 bours. In the good old sailing ship
days the captain was content to etake the
sun" at noon every day. If the sky was
clouded Tor day or two 1T 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 thas
the ships position be known all the time.
Fog may come down at any moment, OBJ
servations may not be obtainable for ten
or twelve hours. The positions OF more
than one hundred stars are known. BY
observing any one OF these the ships
whereabouts can be ascerta1ned In 1eW
minutes. 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 any carelessness. No man
knows all the influences that affect the
currents of the ocean. You may find the
current in one place the same forty times
in succession; on the forty-hrst trip it
may be entirely changed. Sometimes a
big storm that has ended four or five
hours before the steamship passes Ger.
tain place may have given the surface cur
rent strong set in one direction. There
is no means of telling when these infiu.
ences may have been at work save by TAX
ing the ships position frequently
Harper's Round Table.