Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-03-22

/ represented In the Crew OF a. Great
Atlantic Liner.
The great Atlantic liners have often
been described rs floating cities. and
in ut least one particular the COMPARE
son is entirely accurate-that is to say,
in the variety Of occupations represent
/ id on shipboard. y big steamship viii
I in her flight from land to land carry Il
/ population of perhaps 1000, Of whom
I the majority. of course. are passengers
people Of all professions and lines
/ OF business. Leaving passengers out
I OF account. however and considering
I only the GOO or thercabOuts who 10 to
make up the liners crew. one will cas-
/ lily find representatives OF nearly all
the trades Of thriving community
ashore.
This diversity OF industry represents
an evOlution-or. rather. a revolution
that has come along with the develop
ment Of the gigantic modern steam
ship. In the old days OF sailing ships
all the members OF the vessels crew
were sailors and performed one part or
another Of a sailors work Even the
redoubtable cook was usually much
u
/ spars and ratlincs than he was in the
/ secrets of the culinary art. But today
/ the status is different Navigation OF
/ the big Atlantic fliers Is n complicated
/ task. and the number OF men required
! to carry II on is ten times greater than
on even the biggest ships Of a century
ngo. The variety OF their vocations
has Of course been multiplied 10 CORE
spond with the increased complexity.
The sailors are in n small minority
nowadays. True. you will see a num-
Der Of seamen ON the big ships. and
these still have their duties TO perform,
duties which. however. have nothing
10 do with the handling Of sails. for
not I'm Il number OF years has canvas
been spread on any Of the big liners.
But common sailors seem few in COM
parison with the men OF other trades
whose usefulness on shipboard the sea
captain Of n generation or two ago
would have found hard TO explain or
even understand.
Some OF the greatest changes in the
conditions of service have come about.
naturally enough. through the intro
duction Of steam machinery. The pres
ence Of machinery means that the liner
must carry not only number OF engi-
neers, but also several machinists to
keep In order the complicated mechan-
ism of pumps and blowers and deck en-
gines which a big vessel carries. Then,
since every great passenger ship is pro-
vided throughout with modern plumb
ing system, she must have in readiness
] n ffsafT nNr
clan Is also needed to look after the
electric lighting plant. refrigerating
engineer for the cold storage plant and
number OF other representatives Of
different branches Of the engineering
/ profession.
Instead OF the ancient cook with his
very limited accomplishments the up to
date liner has an expert chef. besides
bakers, confectioners and also the other
| gastronomic specialists to be found in
the big fashionable hotels ashore. A
ships butcher cuts the roasts and
joints and takes general charge OF the
meat supply, and there are several
storekeepers. who. it IS true, do not sell
goods. but who keep as exact account
Of all the groceries and other supplies
issued for the use OF passengers and
crew as though their livelihood depend
ed upon il.
Besides these, every liner carries a
barber, for passengers long ago gave
up the habit Of going unshaven from
beginning TO end of the voyage. The
barber has n comfortable little shop.
and next door to him perhaps is in
stalled the barkeeper, who from the
nature OF his clientele is required to be
adept in mixing the drinks of all ma
lions. Still more surprising to the mex
perienced traveller II Will perhaps be to
learn that the big steamships carry
Tour or five bootblacks TO keep the pas
sengers In shines.
Or the learned professions the only
one regularly represented is that of
medicine. Every liner carries a sur
geon, who not only attends to pas
sengers or members Of the crew who
may fall i'll. but who is also charged
with the general supervision of the
health and sanitation Of the vessel.
There are usually plenty Of "sea law
yers' on board-not that there is any
demand for legal services-and IL clergy
men are not among the passengers the |
captain or purser is qualified TO read
the service on Sundays.
The Issuing Of paper containing tele- |
graphic news involves Of course an edi-
Tor and wireless telegrapher. The |
editorial duties are assumed by the |
purser, and the wireless operator not |
only receives the news for the shjp's |
paper but takes and transmits mes
sages for the passengers as well. The
ships printer prints not only the ship's
newspaper, but the daily menus and |
concert programmes as well.
Most OF the liners carry one or more
musicians. Some have fully equipped
bands that furnish daily music. and
those liners which do not include a
complete musical outfit have at least
one or more buglers to sound the calls
Tor meals and for inspection.
Every liner has on board carpenter
VINO makes necessary interior repairs
and looks after the boats tanks and
wells, and there are to be found among
tne stewards and seamen handy men of
other trades. All OF which goes to
show that the modern floating city,
Is a very cosmopolitan and. IL need no
very self reliant community.