The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-23
THE CAPTAINS WIRE ms MATE.
She Helps to Man Her Husbands
Shin.


From the San Francisco Chronicle.
The sight of dainty, sylph-like woman,
clad in flowing drapery, her face protect
ed from rough winds by a gauzy veil,
while she does her trick at the wheel"
is not yet sufficiently common to escape
the notice of those who travel by sea. A
sight which induces more protracted re-
Election upon womans end-of-the-century
achievements in fields of industry monop-
olized by the sterner sex is that of a wo-
man commanding a vessel.
Fllots OF the female sex are not yet suf-
hclently numerous to threaten displace-
ment OF men in navigation, but there is
scarcely a land-locked shipping center
that cannot boast of at least one woman
licensed % guide steam craft within a
A woman versed in the laws of navi-
CATION and possessed of sufficient expert
ence 70 secure sailing masters papers
is indeed novelty, and the fact that
Such woman is visiting the port of San
francisco Is attracting attention.
MRS. Jane Powles has for seven years
carried second mates papers, and is pre-
pared to undergo examination for a mas
iers certificate when she returns to her
nome In England. She is the wife Of
capt r.. 4. Powles. master of the big
British ship James Kerr recently arrived
IN this port from Newcastle New South
Wales, with cargo of coal. For eight
cen years Mrs. PoWles has been at sea
with her husband, accompanying him en-
every voyage he has made since thew
were married. during which period they
nave enclfcle the globe nineteen times
and visited every seaport of note on the
race OF the earth. Mrs PoWles has been
student OF navigation ever since she
mas been at sea. aud her husband declares
lhat she is as competent as he is to sail
the big ship on which they live
Mrs. PoWles has been in command of
Inc James Kerr on more than one oeea-
sion, proving herself a cool and CONNIE
tent master. She is always a faVoriie
with the crew, no matter from what ma
tfon they nail, and cheers greet her when
she appears on the bridge or takes a turn
at Inc wheel Capt. Powles has great
commence III his wife's ability, and more
Tor the novelty of the thing than from
any other motive. he has often urged her
70 take out a masters papers. Mrs
IoWles Will therefore present herself for
me required examination when opportun-
ity offers.
Mrs; Powles is the daughter of the Rev.
~, Plunmer, rector of Stratford Tony
parish, Salisbury England She is a
charming and accomplished woman
speaking and reading nearly all modern
tongues with ease. She has acquired since
marriage en- enviable knowledge of more
than one science. ~
An hour spent in the big, roomy cabin
i ~ Tue James kerr is delightful eXper-
renee. capt. PoWles is an enthusiastic
amateur photographer and several large
Albums full OF pictures from every section
or the globe attest his many journeys on
sea ana land. Every picture has its bit of
Interesting history or romance. aud these
Mrs. PoWles relates charmingly, with lust
q touch OF sea lore for coloring. Mrs
EoWleS SITS at the piano and ACCOMPANIES
the captain In rollicking sea ditty until
the deckbeams overhead culver from the
resonance of his tones.
The British ship Prince Oscar was Mrs
Powles' first home at sea. but she is most
strongly attached co the ship John o.
Groat to which Capt Powles was trans
ferred- soon after marriage. on the latter
vessel their first and only child was born.
on voyage from Calcutta to San Fran
cisco, oct: %, 1880. He was christened in
this city by the Rev. DR.. Lines, and has
always lived at sea with his parents until
TWO years ago, when he was placed on the
training ship Conway, at Liverpool. The
young man has finished his course there,
and is now on his way to this city to be-
come an apprentice on the James Kerr. He
will arrive early in January.
In MS tWenty-seVcn years experience as
master Capt. Powles has never lost a
ship or experienced a serious disaster. His
vessels are known among sailors as good
living ships, and the crew is always well
Capt and Mrs Powles are not visiting
San Francisco for the first time. Early in
the seventies the captain while hunting
i'm the bay, shot a sea lion that weighed
one and a half tons, which was declared
at the time to he the largest ever seen in
these waters. NEWSPAPER clippings detail
ing the exploit are still preserved in the
family archives. During one of his for
mer sojourns here Capt, Powles adorned
the yaVdarms of his ship with lanterns one
dark night and hoeXed a pedantic doctor
who was on board the vessel and anxious
TO see and investigate che St Elmo lights.
A boy was sent aloft and instructed to en-
act mock performance of touching the
lights and falling insensihle across the
yard. The doctor published long ac-
count of his Scientific" researches on the
subject when he landed: but Powles re-
futed him by the truth. The best part of
the joke was that the doctor went home
to Australia on the steamer Zealandia.
and her master. a particular friend of
Capt. Powles, perpetrated the same Joke.
The doctor afterward wrote rather sharp
note to pow,es, saying that he had enjoy
ed tho pleasure of making the homeward
voyage with gentleman who had
shown him real st. Elmo lights"
Mother: You must never put oft till
tomorrow what you can just as well do
to-day.