Титанік
Chapter 4
Inthosecoldchambersbehindtheengine-roomaregatheredprovisionswhichseemalmostinexhaustibleforanypopulation;fortheimaginationdoesnotproperlytakeinthemeaningofsuchitemsasahundredthousandpoundsofbeef,thirtythousandfresheggs,fiftytonsofpotatoes,athousandpoundsoftea,twelvehundredquartsofcream.Inchargeofthechiefstewardalso,tobecheckedbyhimattheendofeachvoyage,arethechinaandglass,thecutleryandplateoftheship,amountinginalltosomeninetythousandpieces.Butthereheis,quietlyatworkwiththestore-keeper;andnotfarfromhim,inanotherroomorseriesofrooms,anotherofficialdealingwiththethousandsuponthousandsofpiecesoflinenforbedandtablewithwhichthetownissupplied.
Everythingisonamonstrousscale.Thecentreanchor,whichittookateamofsixteengreathorsestodragonawoodentrolley,weighsoverfifteentons;itscablewillholdadeadweightofthreehundredtons.Theveryrudder,thatmereslenderandalmostinvisibleappendageunderthecounter,iseightyfeethighandweighsahundredtons.Themenonthelook-outdonotclimbuptheshroudsandratlinesintheoldseafashion;themastishollowandcontainsastairway;thereisadoorinitfromwhichtheycomeouttotaketheirplaceinthecrow’snest.
Areyouwearyofsuchstatistics?TheywereamongthethingsonwhichmenthoughtwithprideonthosesunnyAprildaysintheAtlantic.Mancanseldomthinkofhimselfapartfromhisenvironment,andthehouseandplaceinwhichhelivesareeverapreoccupationwithallmen.
