Page 1 - Wonder Book Of Ships - Life Of An Officer On A Liner

i I I :€r:': r'.t;--:-.-{ -Agu-r.q.?:. -..| t '- "- I Trru cLrN-\iiDjiri .. LAcoNrA " (18,099 rors). f i:is fi.ne vessel was torl:edoed without waming in I'ebruary, 1917, involving the loss of many lil'ee. The Ship's Officers and their Duties l\T O British vessel is compelled by law to carry more than trvo cor- i \ tificated navigating officers, though all ocean-going passenger stea,mers have three or four. Large steamers often carry seven or eight ofiicers rvho hold captain's certificates. Thq largcst White Star and Cunard boats carry a captain, a chief 'navigating cftcer, and first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth of{icers, the last threo ranking as juniors. On no two vessels arc the duties of the various officers quite tho same, but in general ternrs it may be said that tho captain and the first officer are the navigating officers, and aro responsible for the ship, though all the officers wiil take observations by the sun, moon or stars, and comparc their results with those of the'chief navigating oflicers. 'Ihe office s on duty always have to kecp tho " look-out," and thero are also one or two look-out men chosen from the sailors, rvho stand on the forecastle head in fine r,veather, or in the crow's nest, or on tho bridge when high seas might rvash thenr ofi tho forecastle. Every officer on duty has to talio note of arly occurrenee aftecting tho