The Holbrook news., 1912-08-30


 the man in the crows nest"
 into the limelight, and given
 the public new idea of the re-
 sponsibility of those who keep watch at sea for any obstacles in the path of the ship or for passing yes sells.
 AIS we'll" is a familiar cry to all who have crossed the ocean. The cry is heard with every sound of the ships bell-that is, every half hour. The bell is rung by a quartermaster on the bridge and then, first from the crows nest is heard "Alrs we'll" and the cry is repeated from the forecastle forward and repeated again and again from those on watch in all parts of the vessel, until the echoes die away aft. It sounds above the vibrations and pulsation of the engines, above the breaking of the seas or the roar of the wind. It quells momentarily the sound of mirth from the saloon and it assures all on board that men are watching and peering into the darkness to avoid disaster.
 The crows nest is a station high up on the foremast on most vessels. It Is-a small inclosed platform built to support one or two men and some times looks like a barrel attached to the mast, and the men stand inside this barrel-like contrivance. It is con- structed so that the lookouts may be protected from the cold and storm. Often with the thermometer below zero these lookouts have to stand watch in the crows nest with their heads and shoulders exposed to the weather.
 Different Systems.
 Not all companies have the same system, but in general detail they all work the same way. On some lines there are two men in the crows nest and in others only one. Nautical men are divided as to which is the better system The German lines have but one man, because it is possible that two men might talk or become in- terested in other affairs and so neg Iect their proper work. The British lines usually have two men on the lookout, on the ground that two are better than one, and these two men divide their sphere of work, one ta-
 
 side and the other on the starboard side.
 One of the best known of the Brit Ish lines places two men in the crows nest. It also has a man on the forecastle head and others stationed at regular intervals on the different decks, who patrol and watch seaward. There are also the officers on the bridge, watching out to sea, and there Is an extra quartermaster in addition to those at the wheel. There are two and in the largest vessels three off cers also on watch. The orders is- sued to captains of vessels tell ex- plicitly just what the watch is to be and 1t varies according to the size of the vessel. The men in the crows Aest and stationed about the vessel are selected carefully. They must be abIe-bodied seamen, well trained and well able to distinguish objects in the night They use glasses in the crows nest and on the bridge. In severe weather these watches are changed very often, and in very severe weather these changes are made every half hour.
 Every object sighted from the crows nest must be reported at once to the bridge, no matter what it is or how far away. The senior officer on | the bridge is the man to determine the | future course of the vesesl after the | eport has been made. The report | Ing from the crows nest is made | through a telephone fixed in the nest | and leading directly to the chart room and to the bridge. Should this get out | of order there is a speaking tube and | a megaphone. There is also a gong | on the more modern vessels and each | ring of this gong means a different |