The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-14
SEA
Fogs and Derelicts Add to Dangers
of Navigation--M ultitudinous
Duties of Commanders

lights and trust to their lookout and
luck to avoid being run down by a
steamer. Such non are the cause Of
much whole hearted profanity on the
part of steamship officers.
on q fine dark night some s.eamer
will go bowling along at eighteen
knots. Her lookout and the officer on
The bridge will he straining their eyes
Cor any indication of a windtammer.
Because the night is as black as A
Niger in a dark cellar on the night
OF an eclipse none Of them II able
To see a thing in the path OF the
steamer. II Is very much like play
ing blind mans buff. YOU can't see
whore you're going, but have to sense
your way.
All al once directly in the steamers
path. perhaps less than half a mile on.
burns n blue flare. The officer reaches
the wheelhouse from the wing OF the
bridge In exactly one Jump and sings
out 10 the q~uartermaster to swing her.
When his heart goes down out Of his
throat into its normal position and
his breath returns he proceeds 10 dis
Course on the ancestry. character.
traits and future life of any such man
who would run without lirhts. And
the ESCAPES are very narrow
times. Down IN the West Indies such
things are Of frequent occurrence be-
cause ~ the large number ~ small
schooners that run between the
stands.
own brother 10 hut far worse than
the unlighted schooner is the d~erelict,
some ship abandoned in midocean in
a sinking condition. The crew leave
and for some reason the vessel does
not sink but drifts around AZ the
mercy OF the wind and waves, n con-
'inual mcnnc to life and property. Il
g practically Impossible to see q
lerelict until one 10 almost on top ~
T. because generally they are partially
submerged. They are sure to crumple
up TN bow of the steamer unfortunate
enough 20 strike them because they
are heavy and waterlogged. Many
a ship has novcr been heard ~ again,
and her disappearance has been aid
NJ tho door Of the dcrelict.
one ~ tho mul,ifpld duties ~ the
United States revenue cutter service 10
Ia hunt down and destroy these pests
OF the oCean When a ship sights one
the exact position of the derel.ct IL
gwen to the United States revenne
cutter service, which then dispatches
a cutter to hunt for the Wandering
Jew of the ocean.
Sometimes weather conditions ara
such that y is impossible to get a po-
s.tion from the sun. and the ship has
70 he naviga'"d On dead reckoning.
After two or three days OF this there =
likely TO be an error in determining
the correct position ~ the ship. When
IN a sea studded with reefs. islands and
sand bars. a. in West Indian waters.
even n mile or two Of error IS enough
20 send n ship on the beach. During
n spell Of thick weather last January
rhe steamship Bologna OF an Italian
line went ashore on the Island Of
Curacao. one Of the Dutch possession.
IN the New World Her commander
had made some slight error in his
work, and IN a thick haze the ship
went on the beach AT night. She passed
over the bordering reef and jamm~'
herse,t into the sand Of the beach.
Wrecking experts a decided TO blow
n portion OF the reef from under her
lotion. and IN that way attempt 10
float her.
The dangers that threaten a ship IN
the performance OF her work under
normal conditions are always likely to
materiRltzc. one never knows tho ex-
act moment 20 expect fog, fire or col
lls!on. The lives OF the passengers and
;hA property OF the company are in
the hands OF to captain and his
mates. And tho ,aw holds him rcspun-
s.hle for whatever may occur Should