"NAVIGATION FROM THE OFFICE STOOL"

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11655, 10 June 1912, Page 6

"NAVIGATION FROM THE OFFICE STOOL"

Speakins: of the loss of the Titanic last week, Mr Robinson, chief officer of the steamer Enryalus, then at Melbourne, said:—"Since the wireless system of telegraphy has proved efficient fliere lias been too'much navigation from the office stool. Formerly a sea captain had really command of his ship. He was a king, and his ship was his kingdom, but nowadays' he cannot act so much upon his own initiative, for he receives a wireless message every day telling him what course to.steer and 'all that. He is acting under orders from the office staff. A commander of a vessel should be allowed to still exercise his own discretion. It is very necessary that he should be able to do whatever circumstances prompt him to do. i Wireless telegraphy may be a boon to many people. To tha captain of.a big liner it must be sometimes a dangerous nuisance, to say nothing of the lessening of his own importance. Ships are not trains, nor is the ocean a solid country, on the map of which a route may be traced by officials seated in armchairs in a shipping company's office. Of course, I have nothing to say against the White Star Company. I am "only voicing the opinions of seamen on the change which the profession of seamanship has undergone since the introduction of wireless. The independence of master mariners of big liners is being sapped, and their powers of initiative weakened. What this means, to the travelling yniblic I need not tell you. It' is perfectly obvious.'"/