The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-20
THE CAUSE WHY SOME VESSELS ARE LOST


10 TnE EDIroR OF EVENING TELEeRAPH:-
ha'ey tne people have been startled by reading
some thrilling accounts Of shipwreck. or of YES.
seIS ioundering at sea during the recent gales.
some exclaim, "What dreadful weather there
mas Deen at sea; the heaviest gales that were ever
known !" This is not the case; the weather at
sea- ABOUT this time of the year, is generally
oolsterous, and we may always look for hurri-
canes from August to October. They generally
pass through the Tropics, following along the
course OF the Gulf Stream close to Cape Hat.
teras, thence northeasterly to the banks of New
toundland and the never-failing mercurlal
barometer will always indicate the approaching
storm to the experienced navigator.
No doubt you have seen a ship lying at our
wharves nicely painted, yards squared by their
lifts and braces, rigging tarred down, and
everything in apparent good order, and IN fact
looking almost like a picture. Such ship as
1his often gives the schoolboy the notion of
Following the sea, and he longs to be a sailor or
captain OF that ship; but, alas "Paint and
putty make fine ships"
That ship, my readers-which is the case
many times-on her arrival in home port,
The Captain notified his owners that his ship
required caulldug or other necessary repairs
preparatory to gong to sea again. The owners
reply IS: Captain, we wish to load you imme
dately; the markets are good abroad, ana you
must load and sail on such day, and the
weather no doubt will be fine this voyage, and
on yo1r return labor and material will be much
lower, and then we will give your vessel good
overhaulingn
The merchant, of course, is fully insured.
The Captain is poor man, with family de.
pending on him, at monthly pay of $75 to
Sl25 per month. NOW, this Captain nows that
his ship is not in good condition to perform
the intended voyage; nevertheless, he is obliged
to go; for, If he refuses there are always twenty
others to take his command at a much less
salary than he is getting. He dare not inform
the insurance companies, fearful that other
merchants will not employ him; and in some
cases, if he did, 1t would not receive much
attention, as many oftho merchants are direc-
tors of insurance companies.
Now, this ship gets to sea and encounters
heavy gales; ;she springs leak; the ere " becomes
exhausted by pumping, the leak gaming on
them. and finally are obliged to abandon the
ship. By Divine Providence, after being on a
raft or in boat, and enduring much suffering,
they are picked up by another vessel and landed
safely. The Captain makes protest on landing,
and hastens to the owners, and assists ham
materially to get their insurance on tue ship
and cargo.
After which, the Captain asks the owners for
another sbip; the reply many times ls, Captain,
vessel property does not pay, and we think we
will get out of the shipping business; but we
will inquire among our friends, and if we can
get you ship, VIII be happy to recommend you"
No doubt this Captain has lost all his personal
effects and nautical instruments etc., which
took him some years to collect, and the owners,
after getting all their insurance on the vessel,
which no doubt was insured for more than its
real value, will not contribute to even portion
of the Captains loss. SHIPMAsrER.