The officer stepped out onto the bridge, looked down and yelled, " Let go fore," turned then again yelled " Let go aft.", looked again, watched as the ship slipped away from the pier then stepped into the wheelhouse and up to the shiny brass telegraph, gripped the handle, pushed it all the way down to the bottom, then back up to the position " SLOW " ahead. The chief engine in the engine room looked at the board as soon as the bells rang, looked at the reading of " SLOW " ahead, turned to his crew and the boilers, adjusted the temp & steam pressure in them then felt the age old shudder as the massive shaft near by that ran to the propeller started to turn and the ship got under way. The bridge crew kept and eye out as the vessel slowly made its way from the pier, smoke coming from its stack as it made it way down the channel toward open water. The " officer of the watch " scanned the horizon, seeing nary a cloud in the sky and clear weather, always a good sign. Once the channel was cleared and a sharp turn to starboard was made, the compass reading set to 0.95 degrees south west the officer went again to the telegraph, gripped the handle, pushed it all the way down, to all ahead "FULL." The chief engineer again heard the bells, looked at the board and saw the ahead " FULL " turned to his crew, saying " Pour it on lads." Levers were pulled, valves turned, throttles opened, the boilers ramping up to maximum pressure, the shaft that turned the great propeller letting out a high pitched whine as smoke billowed from her stack as the vessel settled in, a white bone in her teeth as she picks up speed on the open water, on course and on schedule to her next port of call. The marvel of the telegraph is a device that through a series pulleys, wires and sounds relay information to the engineering section of the ship so that the crew there can adjust the boilers, steam temp & power options to make the ship move through the water safely. Invented during the " industrial revolution," it made the control of a vessel easier as commands were now direct and understood easier and more clearly, as opposed to relaying commands to several men along a line from on end of the ship to the other, possibly a misunderstood word that could create a serious problem. As you can see there is, ahead, SLOW, HALF & FULL,and also astern, SLOW, HALF & FULL. There is a " stand by," a " stop " & "finished with engines." The " stand by " means that steam can be up but the ship not moving. The " finished with engines " means that the ship is tied off at her berth and will be there for a few days unloading her cargo, the engines kept to a minimum for start up when they are needed again. The day is clear, the water on which we sail now almost glassy as our stalwart vessel cuts through the water, her engines humming, the prop cutting through the water moving us along. We stand on deck the steady thrum thrum of the ship can be heard and felt as she moves with grace through the water, the cool lake air washing over you as we sail along enjoying the experience for what it is...........thanks for sailing aboard the SS Wryter........winks