New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-28
Old iIen 10 InApect Huils.

stant:
would invite any one at the present dae
to answer me a question which ! think OF
vital Importance to ali Interested IN the
commerce of the United States, and more
especially the ship owner and the under
writer, which is this
Why is it necessary for ali insurance
companies who take marine risks to EN-
plov men on the shady side of life TO in
spect hulis and their capacities. that have
been created .lOng since they have ceased to
knot rope yarn or braid sennit
Are there not middle aged men enough
who are far more capable OF attending to
this business, Do we not live IN pro-
gressiye agei Do we build ships now as we
did twenty pears ago! Do we spar, rig, or
even sail them the same. Surely, we do
not. A rule of twenty or thirty years ago
in regard to shipping will not apply any
where or a ship of the present day. and TO
see those bowed down" hoary headed old
gentlemen, who can scarcel y climb side
ladder. inspect hull, and decide case OF
inspection, is really trying TO the modern
mind. | hope that none OF your readers
will think rue irreverent, for far be 1t from
me to forget that ] am growing old, and old
age should always be hOnored. But let
the ''elderly gentlemen perform, such duties
as become them. and not be allowed to sit
in Judgment upon a case where improper
Judgment and an ancient decision might
ruin the sale or the freight of ship, if not
for all time at least for while. An old
man is not expected to be as good natured
early IN the morning as a young man, and
it requires good natured man TO perform
any duty properly. Surveys, IN fact all
matters of interest to the underwriters, are
invariably performed by OLD men-a very
old salt, one that has doubled the cape many
times SupPfaStnilV thereby
making him very wise man-sO wise that
when he recOunts the halrbreadth escapes
he has met with to the president and dl
rectOrs OF the company he IS looked upon as
a prodigy of wonder; and. no doubt, he is a
wonder, for, after the clumsy means used n
the art of navigation thirty years ago cOm-
pared with the present modern Inventions
and discoveries, it is truly wonderful that
they ever made a successful voyage; and,
no doubt, if their tracks were picked OFT on
the chart, many times it would nave puZ-
zled the followers of the track to have dis
covered the port of destination OF the ''an-
cient mariner When see them walking
along the wharyes, cane in hand, their sill
yer hair flowing to the breeze, their look OF
knowledge and dignity-having full control
of their features-I often wonder ii 1t was
any further to Liverpool twenty years ago
than it is to-day, and if the water Is any
Cod, and if there were any more successful
voyages made by these ''patViarchs than
are made hy younger men.
Surely. ! contend the sailor OF the present
day is far ahead Of those who lived and
commanded in the days of ''single topsaIs.' y
The shipbuilder. also, OF TO day has made
discoveries that so far eclipse odd times
that they seem in themselves almost mag
ical.
In proof Of what say. would cite one
firm whose shlps l know. and no one who
knows them-and they are wOrld-re-
noWned-Will gainsay me when sag that
no finer ships float on water. and they
were suDerintended and designed by young
men. The ships | speak OF belong 10 and
were built for the firm of William + Weld
& Co. of Boston, under the direct super.
vision of MIR. RICHARD Baker Jr.. the senior
member of the firm, and Mr.. Baker is by
no means an .'Old man. l have seen this
gentleman inspect several ships, with an
idea of purchasing them: have listened to
the questions prOpounded by Inn. have
heard his opinions IN response, and have
felt encouraged. knowing, after hearing
him, il was not necessary TO have bald
head in order to keep knowledge in 1t.
In 1869. after the late unpieasantness was
all over, was given command OF the
steamship that had served as first officer
of for three years of the war. We were 70
start upon new enterprise. conducted by
'Ioid men" which was termed 'submaFlne
wrecking" Every Saturday there was Il
meeting Of the wise heads. each meeting
usually closing with an appropriation for
the ensuing week 5 expenses. Our company
consisted of good solid men-men whom II
was an homer to be associated with III their
legitimate business. Ny ship lay in the
Atlantic basin tor seven months. the super.
intending engineer managing 10 spend Tor
the company about s25, 900 for sundry queer
looking apparatus for raising wrecks. such
az air pumps. to compress air into air
vessels. at so great a pressure that the ship
had to be strongly secured to the wharf to
keen her in the water. also India rubber
bags about the size of aa ordinary balloon,
which, if properly made last at the
bottom OF the sea. and filled with
this compressed air. would raise a
whole farm at time, TO say nothing abOu,
ships. All these | watched, piece by piece,
during their construction, and wondered if
+! was 10 be the instrument to witness the
end tas they say all things have one.l
While wondering how long it would take
to make a success out of an impossi6llty.
| was notified by letter from our 'aged
secretary that was wanted at " headquar
ters." Upon appearing, found that our
venerable" president had unearthed an
"Old wrecker. This - wrinkled sage had
heard all about our project, saw a million
Of money in it, but the young man IN
charge. though smart. had not years "t
experience enough over his head TO nnder-
take go great a scheme" / listened to our
"good old" presidents speech-handled
most delicately, so far as | was concerned
and at It's conclusion there was = load
rolled of my mind of so great n magnitude
that it made my heart so light that came
near forgetting myself and embracing the
" old man" Had been ahsolved every
sin ever committed ! could not have felt
happier.
1 took the slightiv worded letter of re
oommendation handed me by the old
secretary, in which were a few words 0i
good character, etc. and as ! reached the
street took Off my hat and silently
blessed them. for az the time drew near to
test our new invention ii, had killed the
inyentorS | could neither cat, drink nor
sleep with comfort. for knew that was
associated With failure.
A.iw.lkea down William street. toward
Wall, reading my ito whom It may con
Germ" &c. wondered who my successor
was to be- In this respect I was not long
kept in suspense, for, upon arriving at the
ship, saw AL "old man" OF consid derable
rotundity of form. eyeing the cratt-thst
had SO long been my home-irom stem tC
stern, as only shipmaster knows how.
looked upon him kindly, a fact, pitled
hun. and only sighed when thought OF the
loss OF nav 500 per week. that had always
heeu sn sure; fuG were not some OF the mem
bers of our company members Of the Amer
lean az we'll al the Natin..' BANK NOL'
Company: so. OF course, ali hey hal TO DO
was - manufacture" mon !. AID Rave
never snc6 seen su.h "r,7,', clean banh
notes. RUt - return & he ship. and hin
of the "sray i.ck.. VII vas t" command
her Upon his CONN. - c@ard 1 politely
shO we'd him about I. shtr. WIS I" q, and
left him, not tellinEs hat nv seven months
experience had taught nIu VI regar! 20 ra .
IL N il....