The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-18
SHE CAN SAIL A SHIP.
Mrs. Powles Will Apply for a Mas
ter's License.
Has Been at Sea With Her Husband
For Eighteen Years.

clad III lowlng urapery, her race protecteu
from rough winds by a gauzy veifwhile
she does her "trick at the Wheel" Is not
yet sufficiently common To escape the no.
tice Of those who travel by sea. A sight
which induces more protracted reflection
upon womans end Of the century achieve
ments in fields of industry hitherto mo-
nopollzod by the sterner sex is that of
woman commanding vessel.
Pilots of the fomalo Sex are not yet suf-
flciently numerous to threaten displace-
ment of men in navigation, but there Is
scarcely landlocked shipping center that
cannot boast of at least one woman licensed
TO guide steam craft within certain dis
trict.
A woman versed In tho laws OF naviga-
tion and possessed of sufficient experience
TO secure sailing masters papers is In
deed a novelty, and the fact that such
woman is visiting the port Of san Fran
cisco Is attracting attention.
Mrs. Jane Powles has for seven years
carried second mates papers and Is pre-
pared 90 undergo examination for mas
ter's certificate when she returns TO her
homo in England She is the wife Of Cap
tain Il. Y. Powlos, master Of the big Brit
ish ship James Kerr, recently arrived In
this port from Newcastle, n. :. W., with
a cargo Of coal. For lS years Mrs Powles
has been at sea with her husband. accom-
panying him on every voyage he has made
since they wcro married, during which
poriod they have encircled the globe 10
times and visited every seaport OF note on
the face Of tho earth, and "a great many
more that arc not of note. Mrs. Powles
has boon student of navigation ever since
she has been at sea, and her husband de-
clares that she Is as competent as he Is to
sail the big ship on which they live.
Mrs Powles has been In command OF
| the James Kerr on more than one occasion,
proving herself cool and competent mas
ter. She is always favoritc with the
crew, no matter from what nations they
| hail, and cheers greet her when she appears
on the bridge or takes turn at the wheel.
CAPTAIN Powes has great confidence In
his wife's ability, and more for the nov
city of the thing than from any other mo-
tive he has often urged her 10 take out a
masters papers. Mrs. Powles will there.
fore present herself for the required exam.
ination when opportunity offers.
Mrs Powles Is the daughter Of the Rev.
nj. Pummor rector of Stratford Tony
parish, Salisbury, England. She is q
charming and accomplished woman, speak
ing and reading nearly all modern tongues
with case She has acquired since mar.
| rlage an enviable knowledge of more than
one science.
An hour spent in the big, roomy cabin
of the James Kerr Is delightful expert.
ence Captain Powles Is an enthusiastic
amateur photographer, and several large
albums full Of pictures from every section
of the globe attest his many journeys on
sea and land. Every picture has its bit OF
interesting history or romance, and these
Mrs. Powles relates cbarmingy, with just
touch of sea lore for colorlng. Mrs
Powles sits at the piano and accompanies
the captain In rollicking sea ditty until
the deck beams overhead quiver from the
resonance of his tones.
The British ship Prince Oscar was Mrs.
Powles' first home at sea- but she Is most
strongly attached to the ship John o.
Groat, to which Captain Powles was trans.
ferred soon after marriage. On the latter
vessel their first and only child was born,
on a voyage from Calcutta to san Francis.
CO, Oct 90, 1880 He was christened In
this city by the Rev. DIR. Lines and has al,
ways 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-
comean apprentice on the James Kerr. He
will arrive early in January.
In his "a years experience as master
Captain Powes has never lost ship or ex.
perionced serious disaster. His vessels
are known among sailors as "good living
ships, and the crew Is always well treated.
CAPTAIN and Mrs. Powlcs are fond OF
l,, "A hnv h,If N nj r1 Irfs
now their affections are conferred on some
fine Australian kangaroo hounds. There
arc other pets aboard, among them a dozen
cages full Of song birds, and the Blue
Mountain hill peblo, winged soloist
found only in the glados of Australia.
Captain and Mrs. Powles are not visiting
San Francisco for tho first time. Early In
tho seventies the captain while hunting In
the bay, shot sea lion Weighing | y tons,
which was declared at the time to be the
largest ever seen i'm those waters Newspa
per clippings detailing the exploit are still
preserved in the family archives. Durisg
one OF his former sojourns here Captain
Powles adorned the yardarms of his ship
with lanterns one dark night and hoaxcd
podantic doctor who was aboard the YES
sell and anxious to SEQ and Investigate st.
Elmo lights A boy was sent aloft and In.
structed TO enact n mock performance OF
touching the lights and falling insensible
across the yard. The doctor published a
long account Of his scientific researches
on the subject when he landed, but Powlos
refuted him by the truth. The best part OF
tho joke was that tho doctor went home to
Australia on the steamer Iealandia, and
her mnster, a particular friend of Captain
Powles, perpetrated the same joke. The
doctor atterward wrote a rather sharp note
TO Powles, saying that he had enjoyed the
pleasure of making the hcrneward voyage
with a gentleman" who had shown him
"real ST. Elmo lights. San Francisco
Chronicle.
Oman yictoria's Jubilee.