Page 2 - Wonder Book Of Ships - Life Of An Officer On A Liner

TEE SHIP'S OX'FICERS navigrtion of the ship during his watch, such as " look-out man re- ported supposed wreckage on port bow; old and overgrown with sea- weedr" or " steamer showed com- pany signals threo miles ofi, but not her name, time 2.40 a.In." All important notes of this kind aro entered in the ship's log, or diary, kept by the captain. Tho officers and crewaredivided into two " w&tchesr" one of which \ is in charge of the captain, with whom tho second officer is associated; the other is in charge of the first officer, with whom the third officer will share tho work. When moro officers are carried, they are equally divided between tho two watches. . On nearly all vessels the two-watch system prevails ; that is, the men - TEE cAPT.qrN-soMETrMEa I of each watch have four hours on duty and four hours ofi duty alternately. Those who have eighthours' duty ono night only have four hours the next, the rvatch from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. being divided into two watches of two hours each, so that tho change may bo made; these are called the " dog watches." )tre three-watch system, or four hours'duty alternating rvith eight hours' rest, is ono of the reforms for which ships' officers have been agitating for a long time, without, however, much result. On vessels which carry a chief navigating officer, the captain's watch will be kept by him, the captain himself exercising general supervision over the navigation by night and day as circumstances may require. Tho captain is responsible for the whole administration of the ship, both in leaving and entering port and at sea. He has to satisfy him- self that tho vessel is properly loaded and that the ship's papers are in order, and that the stores &re on board; and he has also to see per- sonally to,tho formalities ihe Board. of Trade insists upon before the vessel can sail. Of courso, he cannot attend to all these details him- se1f, and many. of them have to be-delegated to the other officers-