Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-01-27
A STARTLING STORY
Methods Pursued by
British Vessels.
LOSS OF SEAMEN'S LIVES.
System Of Insurance Which Makes 1t
Profitable to Lose Ships.

LoNDoN,JaD 21.--Snmo sensational tcSti-
mony was given before the royal labor
commission by Mr. Plimsoll the celebrated
champion Of the rights and interests Of
sailors, and the man who has brought
about the great reforms in shipping regu-
lations which have been introduced dur
ing the past few years. Mr. plimsoll is
also member Of the commission, having
been selected FOR that position on account
OF his thorough Acquaintance with the
conditions OF labor i'm tho important de-
partment Of industry which he has mado
his special study
Plungng at once into The heart Of his
subject, Mr. Plimsoll Cpvc statistics to
prove that the loss of lie on British ships
is quadruple that, proporiionally, Of any
other nation. The Importance of seeking
the cause Of this trghtful slaughter Of hut
man life needed no argument Mr. Plim-
soil believed that there could be no doubt
that IL would be found IN the vicious sys-
TEN OF insurance, whereby IL was fire.
quently more profitable thiag for nm
owner TO lose his ship-and incidentally
kill score OF 70 ofp0or sCampn-thnn to
save IL.
The witness declared that the present
law allowing three feet of dcollo1d, should
be modified. There ought, at least in long
winter Atlantic voyages, 20 be uo dcckload
at all. But IL the law is 60 stand, the pen
atty should be made sufficient
TO Prevent Iufringcmcnts
Of its provisions. At present the fine II
only G5, and rs decklouling Increases the
freight capacity OF the vessel, often from
-.
ford TO pay the penalty should his viola
ton OF the law be discovered on reported.
Mr.. Plimsoll thought that Canada should
be allowed 60 adopt her own lcgislation
Tor Canada ships, except FOR those sailing
20 and from English ports. Referring to
the law OF bulkhcads, Mr. plimsoll snid IL
was farcical As II matter Of fact, a ship
pwner could have ship built with abso-
lutely no bulkhcads at All. Revised levis
'ation Is needed in order TO provi le for the
proper construction cf vessels in this re-
pcct.
Mr.. Plimsol pointed ont some OF tho ah-
.urdites, or worse, OF the existing state
t affairs Ia the laws regulating shipping.
\passcngrr ship owner who should fire.
uently lose his vessel swould coon feel the
rect in n falling OFT ~ custom. II ia TO
IL interest 10 look out for the scawOIthi-
ess and safety Of his feet But it is not
with the owner Of freight ships. BY
verloaiing and over Insurance he can
make money, despite the loes Of ono ~ his
ubs now and then. OvCr-irsurancc is a
more common THING, said Mr. plmsol,
han is generally imagined He had
ad hear'l Of three eases only last week.
one ~ these, a ship that could not he
old for EIJ0) pounds was insured for
Sl6OD pounds. Mr. plim ,oli then caused
lsensaliou amolg nj, colleagues by point
rg out Hnd PROVING by n comparison of
datistiCs, the fact Tint whenever the
'alue Of shipping declines, in periods Of
lcprc sion, II becomes 20 the interest of
,wners to lose their ships.
The Condition al the Sailors
whose lives are daily put in peril by the
"apacity OF their EMPLOYERS was then
spoken Of. Abundant proof wns at hand
II the bad food and accommodations af-
iorded them. Mr.. plimsoll considered II
imperatiycly necessary, in order to bring
about n reform in these respects. that the
food provided ON all lloutgoing ships should
be regularly examined, in the same man.
ncr as that nm enligrant ships is now in
spected. Laegc numbers Of sailors die.
he averred, from the effects Of improper
food. Men exposed to the hardships Of
life on shipboard cannot sustain the vital
energies on food that t. little better than
swill.
Not long ago, he said, several ships ar-
rived at San Francisco having lost lilf
their crews at sea, aud with the survivors
s" Wasted by starvation
that they had 60 be taken to hospital,
where one of the sufferers died. By Starva-
ton, hc meant lack Of pr per nutumcnt.
He had seen meat taken aboard vessels 10
be used as food or the voyage which was
In such bad condition that the men who
were handling il held their noses TO escape
the odor He would not say that ship
owners were particularly anxious 10 buy
carrion, but he knew the practice was COM
mon Of seeking the cheapest market, and
not being too careful in inspection Of tho
stuff furnished
II was n common thing 20 scrapc meat,
and sometimes TO pare Off decayed por-
tions, putting the remainder in fresh
brine and sending it on board for the ship's
stores. These are but few Of the details
revealed by Mr. plimsoll in hi. arraign.
ment Of the system by which the health
and lives Of laborers aboard ship ARE inn
perilled, and he closed with au earnest ap-
peal, In the name Of humanity and de
cency, for legislative reforms in these
matters