The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-14
SHIPWRECK BIZ SYSTEM.

Remarkable Developments by n Menu
Der Of tho British Parliam ment, SC.
The London correspondent Of the New York
Tribune unfolds tale about the shIp-owniug
people of Great Britain which is calculated to
shake ones faith in that eminently respectable
GLASS. Ship-wre,king in that country by syste-
matte design seems, according to this account,
to be almost as regular an industry as brigan-
dsge is in Greece and Mexico. The correspon-
dent gets his facts from book which has just
been published in London under the title;
sour Seamen: An Appeal-by Slmuel Plimsol,
Mp"
The number OF lives lost on the English
co1st and within 10 miles Of the coast, aver.
ages during the last II years about 700 q year.
Mr.. PhmsoIl states the principal causes.
Under. manning is one, and he gives instances
Of one full rugged ship having been sent into
tha Baltic with but II men on board, and
smother where steamship of 1900 tons went
from liverpool on q voyage to the East with
only eight deck hands aboard. Next came bad
stowage, and inadequate ensine-poWer; next
the significant item Of over-insurance, arising
from t.downright wickedness," and from that
only. One owner, accused before the Lord
Mayor Of London Of endeavoring to compass
the loss OF his ship, confessed that he had m
sured for $4,000 vessel that cost $500.
Another at North Shields admitted the value OF
his vessel 10 be $1,000, and the insurance on her
was $4,000. A third testified that his ship was
bought for $S7 500; she was insured for s65, 600
at eight per cent? Then comes defective con-
struction. and new factis brought to light
the system Of building ships with devils.
A devil Is sham bolt, with the hesd only OF
copper, the rest OF iron; some times the bolt
ing is nothing but bolt head without any
shaft at all, and just enough real bolts are
uted to keep the timbers in their places
while the ship is on the stocks, suppose. In
single ship, the surveyors OF Lloyd's found
7S ''devils." Mr.. Plmsoll prints the fac sinaile
q vessels thus built in 1sSS-'67. Ten of them
have been lost; five never heard OF.
Overlooking seems a peculiarly tempting
form OF making ship unseaworthy. There
was one shipowner,D writes MIR. Pimsoll
'whose name was often mentioned to me in
the course Of the years 1869 and 10. During |
my inquiries in the north and east, heard
his name wherever I went as that Of ship |
owner who was notorious for the pracEic, Of
overlooking and for reckless disregard Of hu- |
man life. Therefore, made inquiry as to the
ships belonging TO HIM which had been lost, and |
the number OF lives lost in each CASE" and he
prints the result Of the inquiry. From 1867 to
1869 twelve ships lost los lives-the work OF a
slngle owner in three years. II don't sup |
pose,n adds MIR. Pimsoll, she has lost any |
since, for threatened him to his face that |
would bring the matter before the House OF
Commons, and it was pitiabe to see the abject |
terror tire man." And his informant subse- |
quently assures him that his conjecture is |
true; that the guilty owner has not lost single |
seaman since that wholesome threat terrified /
him into humanity,