FUELING A WARSHIP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 19

FUELING A WARSHIP.

A' DIRTY JOB. All watches of the hands. In the halflight the men can be distinguished running to “fall in” in answer to the bugle call. The customary livery silence is absent, for this is coal ship morning, and a certain hilarity is noticeable, festered, perhaps, by the varied and unusual attires to be seen (writes a naval officer in the Daily Chronicle). Most of the officers, in their search for old clohes, have shed a stripe. The more senior ratings have tied the sleeves and legs of an overall suit with string, and donned a tight cap and sea boots, hoping to exclude, the coal dust from their clothes. The men who will boar the brunt of the labour, however, are resigned to their fate, and an old jumper and “shorts” suffice to hide a garment which eventually may be their sole covering when the work gets hot —old bathing suit. No time is wasted. The collier is already alongside. The seamen normally employed on the upper deck have been detailed to work in the holds. The word is given, and, reminiscent of the old-time boarding party, the sailors storm the merchantman. natch covers are removed, and the work of filling sacks begins. Soon the derricks are hoist ing their full load of 10 to 12 bags The whip goes to each of the four of the hold, and must never bo kept waiting. A nine-bag hoist or partially filled bags reflect adversely on the achievement of tho gang responsible, and call for many humor- i ous jibes at their expense. . On deck the “dump party,” assisted by a I “barrow party,” arrange for the removal j of the sacks to the hunker lids. _ -uany collisions, providing a desirable comic relief, , occur but here and there is found a. petty ; officer controlling the trafficlike a policeman, on point duty. The coal is shot down the chutes to be dealt with in turn by the stokers, working • under the moat trying conditions of all, who stow the fuel and keep the bunker entrances clear. By 10 o clock the coaling has been in full swing for some time- . and is getting monotonous. _ Now the band , assembles in'a prominent position. Popular ! music puts new life into the workers and j ton after ton comes swinging in to lively . one-step. Dinner time comes. A hastily | cleaned white patch round the mouth is | sufficient ablution for the meal. j