The poem opens with a playful, slightly absurd idea: a group of men forming an official committee to think about ships. Instead of treating ships as machines for travel or trade, the speaker asks what ships want. The question turns them into creatures with desires, and the water becomes something they might hope to get comfort from.
The three guesses are telling: a winehouse, a home, or a bed. Each is a place of rest, warmth, or company, so the ships begin to sound like tired travelers rather than vessels built to move. Then the poem shifts to "news of the night," a quieter and more mysterious option, as if the water might carry secrets or messages after dark.
The speaker seems curious and half-joking, treating a solemn procedure with a straight face. The mood is dreamy and gently humorous, and the poem ends on an open, trailing note that leaves the question unanswered.