usually the poor
Captain is
left to struggle with very important persons. This is too
hard a
lot not to have a drill. A
ship is usually warned that it is going to have callers by hours or even
minutes. Therefore this drill includes neating the
place up
fast, getting the
ship snugged up to the
dock or the
ladder or the gangway
squared away, seeing the proper flags are
flying, tending the side, helping the guest
aboard, giving the guest a
host or
hostess without
tearing the top
brass of the
ship to
bits, providing the guest with a drink or coffee, getting the guest's
business attended to and the top
brass required in and out, getting the guest back over the side. This includes providing a boat when at
anchor. The
stress here is to make a
snappy, polite atmosphere and to effectively get guests
aboard and gone. The same drill is used for dinner guests and even for parties
given aboard except when they are for
ship's
company.
(Ship's Org Bk.)