Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-11-04
GEAR OF HIS SHIP
The Captain of an Ocean Liner
Is a Real Autocrat.
HIS WORD IS ABSOLUTE Law.
He May, IL He Deems II Necessary,
Put Passenger In Irons or Clap
Him In Cell, and In Cases Of Ener-

tmagine mayor or judge OF u
circuit court or county sheriff or u
town marshal OF a village OF $500 pop
ulation stepping out into the street
and on general and self imposed au-
tbority picking up citizen. ordering
him to n cell and clapping irons on
him for safe keeping.
Wouldn't the bird OF American lib
erty set up a scream? Wouldn't the
old and badly cracked Liberty bell
resonate In discord?
After one OF the great transatlantic
passenger steamships leaves the three
mile limit OF New York the passenger
Is In foreign territory on the high seas.
English. French, whatever
the dag 1T the masthead-the ship is a
section OF its fatherland. floating ia the
high seas. where only maritime laws
regarding its transit in times OF peace
may hold check upon the czardom Of
the ships commander. on or off the
bridge.
No car has more power within his
territory than has the captain OF the
great Atlantic liner on the high seas.
He is on an island of his couutry's
ownership--a floating island, having
population Of 800 employees and look
ing after the welfare and safety OF per
haps 5000 passengers. He Is prac-
tically the administrative, executive
and judicial single individual. such as
exists rarely on the map of present
day civilization. Aside from his au-
thority over mankind. be may have
$T.0O0,000 of vessel under him. to say
nothing OF the international mails and
millions in gold 10 transshipment.
There's the captain" Is O whispered
bit OF comment made million times
year In the beginning OF the pas
sages Of great ocean steamships. And
generally the captain looks the part.
1: il not so much his uniform either
Ordinarily the captain is not young
There Is gray in his hair. mustache
or beard. That young man in his
tweDties, no matter what his school
Ing for beginning the work. isn't called
ut moments notice 10 the captains
bridge. He must have his maximum
OF training for six or seven numbers
below before he Is called 10 the foot
Of the ladder
On the British passenger vessels
most OF the beginners at navigating
an ocean vessel OF the first class will
have had lieutcuant's commission
from the navy. II * from the royal
navy reserves that the lowest officers
vacancy Is filed. Filling u. he has his
chance 10 rise 20 the position OF cap
tain.
AS to the captains authority: One
midnight. when in a fog the White
Star Baltic struck the German oil
steamship Standard. the Baltic needed
its captain. and he was there. His
ship carpenters were rushed TO the
bow OF the vessel and began the work
OF patching up the hole I'm the Baltic's
steel sheathing.
Suppose that i'm stampede OF the
Baltic's crew Sta employees had rushed
up TO oil Its boats? IL was within the
captains power 20 have shot down the
leader-to have brought about war Ia
the knife. revolver and rife 10 The I'm
terests or his vessel and its passen
gers. Or bad some passenger or pas
sengers become panic stricken and
against orders meDaced the welfare of
the majority on the ship death would
have been dealt with the same rigid
discipline which requires OF the can
tain that he be the autocrat mt his
post.
There are no forms of writs or war.
rants necessary. There Is no court nj
which the passenger or the seaman
may give bond. Ina that instant of
sudden great emergency which arises
the captains word Is more than writ
ten law; IL Is the unwritten common
law OF the high seas. in the spirit o.
which the vigilance committee of the
wild west OF the United States rose.
lawlessly lawful.
Today the captain OF the great timer
may step into the palatial cabin aud
command order. He may go into the
smoking cabin aud stop the game OF
cards at which the sharper is playing
Tor his stakes. In case OF refusal that
ancient land right of mo deprivation
OF liberty without due process OF law
Becomes farce. The cell room or
even the iron manacles of the cap
tain's authority may he used upon the |
individual who has paid $500 or 81 .OOC |
Tor his suit OF rooms and his passage |
On the high seas the captains shin
becomes an autocratic democracy. The |
individual In the first cabin and nj the |
captains table must share with the |
Immigrant far below those equities
that are granted to each in his place.
Don't buck the captain" said an
official In the Offices of a great steam.
ship line. He IS all there is Of author
lily. He isethe supreme entity of his
ship He is dressed for IL: but. more
than that. he is trained to IT, He IL
empowered 90 take life If he must. and
on land this is the most serious of all
things In the statute books"
Commodore OF the feet" is one of
the offices toward which the old sea
captain looks. not obviously. not with
disdain. II Is naval number in the
passenger service which marks the
age OF retirement. There is honor In
the title. 1t does not descend to his
children. He gives half his life to the
gaining Of It, and II means that his
activities and powers are at an end
Chicago Tribune.