Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-02-22
BULLION AT THEIR MERCY.
Experts Admit That Steamships Would
Not Be Able to Resist n PiraticaI Craft

IApeTts ADMIT Ihat Steamships Would
Not Be Able to Resist n iraticaI Graft.
Emil l.. Boas, agent of the Hamburg
American Packet Company, which is
one of the great gold-carrying lines,
said that he did not have any fear of
the gold being stolen in transit. Every
precaution," said Mr.. Boas. "is taken
to guard the gold, from the moment
that it is delivered at our pier until It Is
landed in the proper hands on the
other side. The gold is watched on the
trip from the s1b-treasury to the steam
ship, and all that is necessary for us is
to see that the correct number of kegs,
which contain the shining metal, is de-
livered Oh board.
The kegs are put in the steamships
stronghold. There is no particular place
on the ship for this to be located, but
wherever it is, it is free from the thiev-
lsh lntruders. The room is iron on all
sides, and it is securely fastened with 8
heavy lock, after the kegs have been
placed In position. 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 access to the place"
what if one OF the steamers were
attacked by pirates in mid-ocean ?"
"Ah, that is another thing, said Mr..
Boas, refectively. "But, in the first
place, there aren't any pirates, and the
sea is safer than the ordinary highway.
Still, 1t would not be impossible for
pirate craft of the right sort to hold lup
a steamship and make the captain and
passengers give up their valuables, just
as in the old days, when the bold buc-
cancers were the masters of the ocean.
The ocean liners are built for speed, and
it would take lively pirate ship to hum
along at twenty-knot gait. Ii it were
simply case of chase the gold carrying
steamers could show their heels to all
the pirates that ever existed. Suppose
the pirate ship carried heavy guns, and
trained these on the steamship? Under
those circumstances the steamship
would nave to stop, unless the captain
was nervy fellow, and chose to take
the risk Of sinking the ship or getting
away.
''The ocean steamships have no means
Of defense against such an attack. They
do not carry cannons or other arms ex-
cept small ones for use IN case Of mutiny.
Their plates, while strong, would not
resist shot from gun of ordinary
caliber, and fighting would be out of the
question. 1t would be easy for pirate
IL
steamship to a standstill, and then the
cannon of the pirate would hold it un-
til everything was taken from the steam
ship of value. If it were a gold carry
ing steamship the gold could be taken
without much trouble, if the pirates
knew where it was located. Five mill
ion or 100000 in gold coin would pay
very well.for the work Of brief hour
or two that it would take to go through
a steamer and it would throw 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 accord
ance with the bills of lading that are is
sued by steamship companies, they
would not lose anything If pirates
cleaned out the ship, as piracy is spe-
officially mentioned as one of the losses
that the companies are not liable for"
Capt. Jonas l.. Wallis, a retired steam
ship captain, of Ii Stone Street, said
that while he was sailing the ocean
blue with cargoes of spices and other
valuables, he often thought how en-
tlrely helpless a steamship would be,
and what a poor defense could be made
if an attack were made by even a small
steamer with any sort of armament.
why, Sdlu Odpl' w dlllS, luOIc 10
nothing afioat among all the ocean
liners that could stand for moment if
eaucy little pirate raised the black
flag and uncovered a six-pounder. The
millions of dollars in spices that are GO
ing to and fro across the ocean all the
time could be taken by pirates with the
greatest of ease If the proper plans
were laid, and it could be arranged 30
that the identity Of the pirate craft would
never be known. Say that the pirate
held up several steamers at any time
when the gold shipments were heavy,
$50, 900 or $40, 100000 could be
picked up in few days, and all the
knowledge that those on the steam
ships would have of the pirate ship
would be from her appearance. The
and hidden under cover of darkness,
and if the steamer could not be altered
80 as to make the disguise perfect, she
could easily be scuttled, and all trace
thus destroyed.
'"The vessel, armament and men could
easily be obtained for such a trip as this,
and it is wonder to me that some Of
the 6rst-class craftsmen have not gone
into the business and reaped a harvest
of gold coin equal TO the wealth of
Gould or Vanderbilt. There are many
obstacles in the way of fitting up q
steamer with armament, but there is
nothing that would not be easy when
the stake played for is so heavy. What
is to prevent the commander and crew
of some of the little warships of q
third-rate nation from turning pirates
and securing the high seas for plumber :?
It very short time they could pick up
fabulous wealth, and before the war
ships Of other nations could get on
their track the money could be dis
posed of and report published that
the ship and all on board were lost.
The time may never come when saucy
pirate ship may rule the seas, but with
such tremendous temptation in the
way of enormous wealth, practically
unguarded, who can tell the moment
when one of the big ocean liners will
bring the news to port that she was
held up by an unknown craft, boarded
by masked men in mid-ocean, and re-
lieved of all the gold bullion on board
II have been expecting to hear of
something like this every day, and if it
1oo no, will