Ship's 'Taffrail Log' Saved.

Be reminded, as you are reading this, you are embarking on a journey with me on this "ship like no other."  And since our last encounter, as we turned the dials of time on our story on a Seth Thomas clock, we were served with a sumptuous meal from our discovery of menus from Franca C's Rapallo Restaurant.  Nothing can stop this ship from displaying her resolute character in surviving the 'hard-pitching' to head seas pounding her bow.  Hard as she can be just like my 'lignum vitae' block of hardwood.  Yes! We are still on the MS Franca C.  Jewel of the Atlantic sea in her time.  Hope that you still have your 'sea legs'!  But let me steer you to a next discovery.

Working in the Deck department at times brings me to certain areas where not many are familiar with.  And the best experiences were of course here on the Doulos.  She is a 'live specimen', a living museum.  Everywhere you go, the word is 'old'.  There was this day when we were cleaning up the steering gear compartment of all the bits and pieces of junk like disused metal parts, old fittings that belonged to the bygone days and....more junk.

After half a day sorting out the place we realised that there was a considerable pile of stuff we need to throw out.  As usual, being a curious person I looked through the pile.  One by one I worked on the pile like a little boy searching for a new toy.  And this boy found a new 'toy'.  I found an old ship's taffrail log.  It's heavy and made of brass.

www.doulos1914/blogspot.com

www.doulos1914/blogspot.com

The 'log' or simply called ship's log, is the modern equivalent of a car speedometer.  Before the days of GPS navigation a log was used to register the speed of a vessel moving through water.  A log consisting essentially of a rotator towed through the water by a braided log line attached to a distance-registering device usually secured at the taffrail, the railing at the stern - hence the name taffrail log.

www.doulos1914/blogspot.com

Again like my little research on my Seth Thomas clock, I faced difficulties in verifying its age and origin.  But incidentally I found a good website in dealing with antiques and old items.  See my post on 'Saving Seth Thomas'.

"Cherub Mark II" - www.doulos1914/blogspot.com

It was made by Thomas Walker & Son, Ltd of Birmingham, England whose name is synonymous with patent logs.  Cherub logs are one of the oldest and largest of all logs of Thomas Walker's distance measuring apparatus.

www.doulos1914/blogspot.com

This one's probably made for a Dutch vessel as many Thomas Walker logs were manufactured and sold to many countries.  The word 'Mijl' for 'mile' in English is seen printed on the log face.  According to reliable sources, the Mark II was made between the 1900 - 1930's.  This could probably be used on the Medina, or the Roma and Franca C.

On another finding, a fellow cadet officer while working the same job as mine but in another compartment called the baggage compartment, found an old brass ship's lantern and a 'gas detection oil lamp' - like the one used by miners.

My pile of rubbish could be one that has been accumulated through the years.  What a place to find a piece of history!  If you have anymore information on this Mark II or if you just want to comment on this post, do share and leave a comment.