The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1916-04-22

| life service. Their training is &C
CURED before their enlistment for the
first time, largely from their previous
callings AT the first enlistment they
must qualify as expert boatmen, they
must be physically sound and no,
more than thirty-tive years of age
The service now has an arrangement
by which the men may retire al three
| fourths pay when they have served
thirty years or have reached the age
CT sixtyfour. But in the former case
| they must hold themselves in readi-
ness for any duty for which they may
be called by the secretary Of the treas
| ury. In time of war this service
would be transferred from the depart
| ment Of the treasury to that of the
navy.
| On Duty Ten Months.
The stations, really the homes of the
men for many months each year, are
frame buildings, all of the same gen
cral pattern, housing four or five
boats and the keepers and crews. The
men are on duty from August l to
June l, ten months each year. and in
that period they are allowed. in turn,
twenty-four hours of liberty. Each
crew consists Of seven men and a
keeper. Thus the men divide into
watches for the night, two and two.
with one extra, and one off duty. Dur
ing June and July only the keeper is
at the station.
The beats over which these men
tramp measure all the way from two
miles to FIVE In length, and when
making their rounds they cover the
distance twice. in each case Of course.
once out and once back The beats
are regulated somewhat by the dis
more than ten miles apart the patrols
would not be able to make a round
in two hours. However. not every
mile of coast is patroled
And now-What happens II q ship
Is seen in danger?
II patrolman sees a vessel in trou-
BILE, which is not yet actually a wreck.
he burns a red signal light The Cos
ton light is a tube-like affair; little
tap on a spring and percussion cap
explodes and that sets the light aflare;
It burns four minutes, with brilliant
red flame: seeing it, crew knows
that their need has been noted and
that all assistance possible will be
rendered them. II the vessel already
is a wreck when she is seen, so that
the service of the station crew will be
required, two Coston lights are
burned.
Power Life Boats.
More and more the stations now
are being equipped with power life
boats. All depends upon the posi- !
bility of using them. A power boat !
cannot be launched from the beach
itself like a surf boat; it requires
harbor of some kind The oar boats
may be launched anywhere; the pow
er boats are preferred, however. when
ever facilities make them available
In the halfway houses as well as
III tle SLdtiOHS are
located The patrolmen make use Of
The wires in sending out their alarms.
II wreck is accessible to more than
9ne station, or II the need is greater
han one crew may be able to render.
he telephone call is sent out From
he halfway houses also full details
will be sent by the patrol to his own
station. and from thence the notice
nay be sent on to the general head
quarters; at times thus the service
If the wireless may be requisitioned.
he Charlestown navy sending out the
J. 0. s. to the revenue cutter cruisers
which may be off shore searching
through the fog or the storm for ships
n distress.
The guardsmen also make consid
rable use Of the international code of
ignals. using the ordinary signal flag,
nd of the international wig-wag sys-
EN-. using the Morse code.