Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-11
ever on the alert are fire, collision
grounding and disease.
Every Man Has His Place.


Before taking up the methods for fight
ing these calamities a word must be Of
fered regarding the crew and it's duties and
assignment. Men who have served in either
the navy or the army are given the prefer
ence on board ocean liners This is SO be-
cause unquestioning obedience on the part
of every man in the crew, from the hum
blest dishwasher or scullery lad TO the
stoutest able seaman, Is OF vital lmpor-
lance 1t must be the peculiar, almost
automatic. obedience that is the product
of years of strict discipline. The officers
are there to plan, the crew to act Each
maa is not an individual hero, but cog
a screw, in a might life-saving machine
These men are known not by name, but by
number and every mans number is to be
found on at least three points in the boat
At one point it indicates his position in
case of fire: at another, i'll case of COLLISION.
when it is his work to close a Watertight
door above or below the water line; and, in
case the boats are to be lowered, on the
boat tC which he must report, prepared for
any emergencies-any duty ordered by h s
superior
When a man joins the crew he receives
his number, and at once learns to which
watch re is assigned ard for what duties
he must report in case of accident These
watches are known as the StarbOard and
port watches, and the former carr -es the
odd numbers, while the port watch is rep
resented by even numbers. The passenger
interested in his own safety has only to
consult the charts hung conspicuousiy
around boat to master the simple but eff
fectiye system.
Under the head of starboard watch he
will find columns arranged something like
this:
The Two Watches.
No.-1.
Title-Captain.
Position in case of collision-Bridge.
Position in case boats are to be lowered
Bridge.
Position in case of fire-Bridge.
On still another board will be found
second list giving the names of the men of
the port watch corresponding to.their num-
bers. These two watches include not only
the petty officers and seamen, but every
employee of the boat, from the small boy
who answers your electric button or the
telephone in your chambre- deluxe to the
White-capped chef who is connecting dainty
dishes in the first cabin kitehen-5S0 men in
ALL when the flyer is carrying her maxi
mum number of passengers, nearly Ito. A
man may wait on the table with the deft-
ness and grace of Ganymede, but if he
cannot respond to the fire alarm in the pre-
scribed length allowed by his drilling, and
do this without question, he is Valueless as
a member of the crew.
Safeguards Against Fire.
The old system of running to the bridge
with messages, or believing through a
trumpet, has been enllrely replaced by eiec-
trio signals The modern boat is equipped
with a telephone system, which is marvel
of simplicity. There are no "centrals''-
not a second is wasted in securing connec
tiOns. Every telephone in engine room,
saloon or deck connects directly with the
bridge In case of fire the steward sea-
man who sees it first reports to the bridge
by telephone, and instantly the electric
alarm Is sounded by the officer on duty
one bell for fire forward, two amidships
and three aft This involves merely the
touching of button on the bridge; the
bells ring from one end of the boat to the
other and every man knows whether or not
1t is his duty to report at the scene of the
fire. If it Is not In his compartment, 1t Is
his duty to remain at his post or to appear
on the deck or in the saloon to quiet pas
senRers and to prevent panic and interfer
ence with the work Of those who are fight
ing the fire.
Scattered about the interior of a model
steamship are buckets clearly marked and
always filed with water. Twenty-Five
lengths of hose are also placed at Intervals
along companionways, ana The ten engines
which supply the pressure run night and
day. In case of serious eonfiagration the
crew can bring to play hose supply OF
| 2,i5O feet enough to encircle the ship twice,
! and equal to the equipment OF at least four
| hose carts in a metropolitan fire depart
ment. BY connecting a centrifugal pump
4ng aaachine ia he engine room, the work
ct mDneEt the ocean hre-hghter conn