The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-09-10

speed of ocean steamers. 1t is also
stated that the German steamers passing
through Cowes roads have been induced
to 90 slow. owing to the risk incurred by
smaller craft and of bathers, but it Is
alleged that the American steamers 20
through Cowes roads at full speed and
that the wash of one of them lately
broke across the csplanade and invaded
hotel facing the sea. This speed is
attributed to the desire to save fifteen
or twenty minutes in time.
We do not believe the economy of time
is the cause of steamers going at full
speed. On Il recent sea voyage the
writer heard the captain Of the steamer
remark ut the dinner table that it was
''the unwritten law of transatlantic
steamers to 90 at full speed i'll fog,
not to save time, but, in the event of a
collision, that the steamer at full speed
would suffer less damage than the
steamer II might collide with, especially
if the latter steamer was observing the
laws of ocean travel and running slow in
fog. The captain added that this UNI
written law would never be abrogated
until two great transatlantic steamers
cOllidcd at full speed and the collision
sank both steamers at Il fearful loss of
life. We believe that his statement Of
the cause of steamers running at full
speed through fog was correct, and
we are glad to see that attention has
been called to this dangerous habit
adopted for its own safety by every
steamer.
This custom has no consideration for
the safety Of any other steamer or re-
gard for the lives of the passengers on
other steamers, and the sooner trans
atlantic steamers are compelled to slow
down in fog and keep sounding their
fOghOrns the more secure will be ocean
travel. With proper prccaution there is no
more comfortable or safer way of travel
ing than by ocean steamers, hut Il steam
ship captain that would run his steamer
mt full speed in a fog and without refer
cnce to the safety of any other craft
than his own would, under the common
law, be guilty of prcmcditated murder if
such recklcssness resulted disastrousiy
Consider for Il moment what mighty
shock there would be of two of these
large ocean steamers, running ut twenty
knots an hour, cOlliding in the mid
Atlantic and what terrible loss of life
would result from such a collision. The
probability is that both steamers would
be torn wide open and sink before boat
could be lowered from either of them
If such thing does occur and there are
any left to tell the story of he disaster
public opinion on both sides of the At
lantic would force the transatlantic lines
of steamship captains to- Sbey the law
of the ocean highway.
A collision between two such steamers
running slow need not necessarily be
so disastrous. In the first place the in
jury to neither steamer would likely be
irrcmedable, and if it was neither ship
would likely be so injured as to go down
at once before the boats were lowered
AS the fact of reckless running in fog
seems to be known to ocean steamship
captains. it is strange that the admiralty
of England has not before this time
adopted measures and received co-opera-
ton ON this side to put Il stop to such
risks of life and property. The execution
of ocean steamship laws is not abrogated
because the vessels are at sea, beyond
the jurisdiction of the admiralty of either
Great Britain or the authorities of this
country. The authority follows the
flag, and the deck of the steamship is n
footing for the exercise of legal authority,
no matter what waters the steiner may
be in. 1t is never outside of the iuris-
dictlon of the authorities whose flag
floats ut its masthead.