The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-15
FIRE DRILLS AT SEA.
How tho Crows OF Ocean Liners Are
Trained 60 Fight o Blaze.

How tho Crews OF Ocean Liners Arc
Trained co Fight Blaze.
The people who make frequent
trips across the ocean on board the
great liners, while they may be-
come we'll informed us to the peoul-
iarities of the various vessels, their
construction, their points of excel
Ience and their shortcomings, rare
jy know much about the fire drill,
which is one of the most important
daily functions on board of the
great floating hotels.
Tho crews of ocean ves,els have
always received instructions as to
their duties in case Of fire or acci-
dent Of any kind, but the system of
instruction and the drills have never
been SO perfect az they are now, be-
cause the number of passengers i'll
trusted to the care of tho navigators
has never been SO large. On the
large steamers several men are con
stantly on duty as watchmen, and
their tours of inspection embrace
evory nook and corner of tho craft.
On each boat there are stations
from which one may communicate
with the bridge, but aside from that
every man, including the officers,
has certain station at which he
must appear in case an alarm is
sounded, and when there he has n
certain duty to perform.
The first officer of the Kaiser Will
helm der Crosse, III speaking Of the
fire drills on board that huge YES
sci, said that the whole crow is call
ed out every day to practice, and
that of the AGO men not one except
the captain or his representative
knows at what hour tho drill may
take place. Sometimes it is early
In the morning, and again it will
take place late at night. and an
alarm may be sounded at the time
when the crew is most busy with
other duties. Tho vessel is divided
into II water tight compartments,
and these are closed by 43 water
tight doors, and as soon us an alarm
is given the men know to which of
these doors they must 90 and close
them. Each compartment has a
large steam pipe from which 1.-Two
steam may be turned on in case of
fire as soon as the doors have been
closed and the men have gone aloft.
An Indicator on the bridge shows
the commanding officer which doors
have been closed, and in case any
of them have been improperly fas-
tened the oversight can be made
good in a few minutes. The signals
for this service are given from the
bridge by telegraph and telephone.
The water tight compartments are
not only to prevent the spread Of
fire, but to guard against disaster if
collision should take place. AS a
matter of fact, the modern navigator
has little fear of fire, but his dread
of fog is az great as it ever was, and
what is known as fire drill might
as well be called fog drill.
But the drills aboard ship do not
end with these daily contests against
imaginary disasters. When the ves-
sels come to port, the lifeboat drills
are added to the sailors duties. The
Kaiser Wilhelm has 1S lifeboats,
and every day, while the ship lies
in port, at u time unknown before
the alarm is given, the order comes
to "clear boats" and within two
minutes the 18 boats swing clear on
the davits, ready to lower away.
Every man knows to which boat hc
belongs and his place in the boat.
When the inspecting officer makes
the rounds, he sees in each boat
sailors, Etokors, stewards and an
officer OF n petty officer, Il mast set
and sails made ready for use.
The ranking officer becomes the
commander of his little crew, amt
the others look to him for orders.
This drill never takes place during
d voyase for fear OF alarming tho
passengers. and even when it takes
place in port all commands are given
by signal without noise or unneces-
sary oxcitement.-New York Trib
une