The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-21
THE SHIPS Fo,C,sLE.
To he Found Vow on All American Deep waite
Vessels In q House on Deck.

Vessels In q House on Deck.
The old.time forecastle was In the bows of the
ship and below, the room thus formed being
triangular in outline and with flaring sides.
The hunks were against the sides. Acoess to
the deck was by means of a ladder, or compan-
ionway. When the watch below heard the call,
Tumble up, my hearties!" they came up this
ladder to the deck.
There is now, perhaps, no American ship with
a forecastle such as that; and though in tho ma
jority of foreign ships the forecastle is still in
the bows. vet not below. as it formerly was. but
under the forecastlc deck. There are few, II any,
American deep-water ships with the forecastlo
in the bows at all. For more than thirty years
the forccastle on all American ships has been
placed In a house on deck. The Yankee sailor
doesn't tumble up any more when his watch is
called. but he steps out of the forecastle on to
the deck over a doorsill a foot high. made 30 as
to keep water out.
The quarters on deck arc an immense improve.
ment over the old time forecastle below, and
over the later forecastle in the bows forward on
deck. They are lighter. brighter. roomier,
healthier, better in every way. Tho arrange.
ment of the deckhouse may vary somewhat in
different ships, but tho forecastle Is always at
the forward end OF it. On a big ship the deck
house would be arranged about like this:
The crews quarters forward, tho star
board watch on one side, the port watch
are sliding doors. Next aft would be- the eo car,
pcnter's shop or sailroom, moro probably the
the house, athwart ship, and with a door at
Zach end, and provided with a carpenters
ashore. Next aft would be the ships galley, OK.
tending from side to side of the house, and with
a door on each end. There is a small room of
one end of the galley for the cook; II the ship
carries a steward he sleeps aft. Next aft, in the
LIGHTHOUSE: is likely to be q stateroom; and aft
occupied by the boatswain, sailmaker, and car
penter; and the ships boys also sleep in the
after part OF the deckhouse.
On American ships the space forward in the
bows, under the forccastle deck. where the fore.
castle was formerly located, is now occupied by
the sides there are lockers for various uses. On
probably seventy per cent. of British ships the
crew still sleep in a forecastle in the bows. I'M
built nowadays there is a house on deck for
ward. which is put to the same general uses
as the deckhoqse on American ships. but in
are quarters provided here for the entire
crew; the rooms for sleeping being occupied
syd the petty officers by tho engine man
which a larger humber are carried on
British ships than on American ships. On
masted British iron ships there 10 q deck
house athwartship and extending from side to
side IN which are provided on the forward side
for the Captain and his officers. only a bulkhead
separating them.
There is on one American ship a bathroom for
ship. which was partly burned, in American
waters, was sold and rebuilt here, and
which has now an american register. There
the men. and there is one British ship that has
set wash basins in its forecastIe; but those are
eScep,lo nd, ; 0n american I'm e re ms ships generally the
British ships.