Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-05
CAN'T FIGHT A PIRATE
IT ansatlantic Liners with NllliOns Aboard
Would Prove Easy Prey.


gold on board has originated inquiry
as to what means OF defense such
vessels possess in the event of attack.
Emil L. BOas, New York agent of the
Hamburg A American Packet Company, |
which is ono OF tho great gold-carry-
ing lines, said to Recorder reporter
the other day that he did not have |
any fear of the gold being stolen in
transit. every precaution," said |
Mr.. Boas, lis taken to guard the gold,
from the moment 1T is delivered at !
our pier until tits landed in the proper
hands on the other side. The gold is !
watched on the trip from the sub
treasury to the steamship and all |
that is necessary for us is to sec that
the correct number OF kegs which
contain the shining metal, is delivered
on board. The kegs are put in the
steamships strong box. There is no
particular place on the ship for this
to he located, but. wherever it is, it
is safe from thievish intruders. The
room is iron on all sides and it is Sc
cureiy fastened with heavy lock az
ter the kegs have been placed in po-
sition. The key to the room is given
to the first officer, and he is made
solely responsible for its safe delivery.
he being the only person who has ac-
cess to the place"
what ii one of the steamers were
attacked by pirates in midocean?"
"Ah, that is another thing" said
Mr. BOaS, reflectiveiy. "t'ut. in the
first place, there aren't any pirates,
and the sea is safer than the ord mary
highway. Still, it would not be i'm
possible tor a pirate craft OF the right
sort to hold upa steamship and make
the captain and passengers give up
their valuables, just as in the old
days, when the bold buccaneers were
the masters of the ocean. The ocean
liners are built for speed, and it
would take lively pirate ship to hum
along at a twenty-knot gait If it
were simply case Of chase the gold
carrying steamers could show their
heels to all the pirates that ever ex-
listed. Suppose the pirate ship car
ried heavy guns and trained these On
the steamship? Under thuse circum-
stances the steamship would have to
stop, unless the captain was nervy
fellow and chose to take the risk Of
sinking the ship or getting away.
1.-THE ocean steamships have no
means Of defense against such an at
tack. They do not carry cannons or
other arms except small ones for use
in the case of mutiny. Their plates,
while strong, would not resist shot
from gun of ordinary callber, and
fighting would be out of the question.
1t would he easy for pirate ship to
fly signal that would bring steam
ship to a standstill, and then the
cannon of the pirate would hold it
until everything was taken from the
steamship of value. If it were a
gold-carrying steamship the gold
could be taken without much trouble,
if the pirates knew where it was
located. Five million or $4,000. O0o
in gold coin would pay very we'll for
the work of brief hour or two that
it would take to go through steamer,
and it would thrC CIV the work of the
| old-time pirates in the shade. But
while it is true that steamship
could be successfully attacked, have
no fear for the safety of the ocean
liners. The days OF pirates are gone.
In accordance with the bills of la
| ding that are issued by steamship
companies they would not lose any
thing if pirates cleaned out the ship,
as piracy is specifically mentioned as
one of the losses that the companies
are not liable for"
Capt. Jonas l. Wallis a retired
steamship captain, said that while
he was sailing the ocean blue with
cargoes of specie and other valuables
he often thought how entirely help
less steamship would be and what a
poor defense could be made If an at
tack were made by even small
steamer with any sort Of armament.
"Why," said Captain Wallis, There
is nothing afloat among all the ocean
liners that could stand for moment
ii saucy little pirate raised the
black flag and uncovered six
FOUNDER. The millions Of dollars in
specie that are going to and fire, across
the ocean all the time could be taker
by pirates with the greatest of ease il
the proper plans were laid and II
could be arranged so that the identity
of the pirate craft would never bt
known.
"Say that the pirate held up sew
eral steamers at any time when the
gold shipments were heavy. $50, 600,
900 or $40. 900, 900 could be picked VI
in few days and all the knowledge
that those on the steamships woult
haze of the pirate ship would be from
her appearance The money coult
be taken to some place and bidder
under cover of darkness and If thu
steamer could not be altered so as t.
make the disguise perfect she coult
easily be scuttied and all trace thu
destroyed. The vessel, armamen
and men could easily be obtained 70
such a trip as this, and it is a won
der to me that some of the tirst-clas
craftsmen have not gone into tn
business and reaped harvest OF gOl,