The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-08
OCEAN STEAMERS NAMES
NARKs OF IDENTIFICATION THAT
!: EACH LINE OF SHIPS CARRIES.
James Of the Vessels Are Made I'm
Boston Ships to BE Renamed.

correspondence CT the Indianapolis Journal.
BOSTON, Nov. 6.-The approaching trans
fer. to take place Dec. 1, OF the Boston-Liv-
erpool and Boston Mediterranean services OF
$he Dominion line to the White Star line
ssfll be attended with perhaps the most re-
saarkable change Of the names OF steam
chips that has ever yet taken place-one
2hat will, for the time being, astonish the
Atlantic ocean. That is to say, the ships
sn the sea have quite as distinct PERSONAL
5les as people in the streets, and seafaring
solk can identity them snywhere-can tell
what line they belong to and in most
Eases what flag they fly by the family traits
81 their names, so to speak. as well as by
sheir distinctive physical characteristics.
when the four big ships Of the Boston con-
singent OF the Dominion line fleet become
white Star liners by the change OF man
ngement they win drop their appenations
peculiar to the Dominion OF Canada or to
the New England States and take UP desig-
nations all OF which end in the familiar
SIC" OF the .;reat fleet they join People
who first made their acquaintance under
their present names will, for a time, be as
sperplexed and make the same mistakes,
sperhaps, as II a quartet OF their women
friends had been married at once; but, just
sas Inhabitants OF a village soon are accus-
TONED to the changed names OF newly made
Mrs, so the maritime native will quickly
get used to calling the Commonwealth the
! Canopic; the recently launched Columbus
the Republic; the New England the Ro-
manic: the Mayfower. which so lately
Ebloomed for the Honorable Artillery Com
spany, OF London, the Cretic.
To some people this changing the names
OF the vessels OF a fleet may seem an insig-
nihcant matter. Doubtless the great poet
. who set the whole world asking Whats
in a name?' whenever the occasion offers
for that familiar quotation. might still
argue. were he alive TO uphold the question,
, that am ocean-going steamship would cross
, the pond as speedily and comfortably under
Distinguishing numeral as under any of
the steamship names well known to At
! iantic travellers. Vessels might be num-
bered. like the streets In SO many American
cities, and they would be just as great
public convenience: the giant Cedric could
doubtless carry the output OF something
like 100 average sized Western farms as sue
cessfully under a nurneral as under her
present title. Not only do the names exist,
however. and add something on their own
account to the pleasant memories OF ocean
travel. but they serve incidentally as a
means OF Identifying the different lines Of
steamships. As is sometimes the case in a
human family all the names borne by the
vessels OF given company have, with
very few exceptions. a certain distinct fam
Fly likeness and person closely familiar
with the sea can place almost any deep sea
steamer in it's proper class the moment its
name Is spoken.
IDENTIFICATION MARKS.
Ordinarily. the modern steamship carries
her Identification in the color or arrange
ment OF colors adjoining her big smoke
stacks. in the flag flying at her main mast,
or. ct night. In the manner OF displaying
colored signal lights. That these distinc-
tons exist the veriest landlubber knows.
and. If his taste inclines 10 salt water in
formation. he viii probably be able to tell
you that q black funnel with a white band
means inevitably American liner: that a
red swallow tail nag-a curious suggestion
OF anarchy In a conventional evening gar
ment-marked by a single white star stands
for a White Star liner by day. or that two
green lights displayed simultaneously diff
ferenttate that company from all others In
the darkest night. That the names OF the
different vessels OF given company should
be practically as distinctive as their estab-
lished signals. or as their uniformly painted
smokestacks. Is partly a matter OF chance
and partly. I'm all probability, direct out
come Of the habit OF system that becomes
lnseparable from the management Of every
detail or modern ocean navigation.
When what has become known as the