The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-18

Says the Public Is 10 Blame for the
Loss of Some Steamships

There's another side to this question Of
tne criminal careiessness or the command
er which We hear SO much talk about when
ever liner Is lost. said the captain of 4
big ocean steamship the other day It's nor
the captain who Is really 10 blame In one
case out OF ten, even when he is running
bis ship at full speed through a fog It's
the public that's to blame. and I'll tell
YOU how II is
To begin with, everybody knows OF the
rivalry between the different lines Every
body knows what difference there is in
the estimation OF the public between the
rival boats OF the same grade which start
At the same time and come III twenty -fou.
hours apart The mar Sho has travelled
ny The boat that comes In last IS going To
say 10 himself that next time he viii go on
the so-and-So. which must De better boat
one he came on? The captain of boat No
j Is hero fer the time being, and the
company he works for smiles on him That
he has run ali the way at fuE speed
through heavy seas and fogs. and has taxi
en- all kinds Of risks. he knows, but he
doesn't say anything about that, and the
company doesn't either. They have beaten
the other line and that is enough. The
captain OF boat No. .. which came In a
day behind the other, knows lust what Is
In store for him before he reports at the
once OF his company. This Is about what
he hears:
why, how Is this Mr.. Blank? You
came in twenty-four hours behind thu So
and So. What was the matter. anyhow?
Well you see,' says the captain. we
had storms part OF the way, and when we
got TO the Banks We struck fog so thick
You couldn't see your hand before your
face and We had TO run at half speed all
day
Ahem' one of the owners will say,
'Alern' It's a had thing. Mr. blank. for lis
10 ne beaten twenty-four hours by the So
and-So.'
Capt. Blank says no more. bu, feels that
be has been reproved. and he remembers
I; on the next trip. The SEA may b.. run
ming mountains high and the fog may he
SID thick that you can't see the funnel from
the bridge. but he Is bound 20 get tn on
time this trip, and he does. The owners OF
the line smile on him. So he knows what he.
Is required to do and he goes on making
record trips. 1t is the public you see
which The company has got to please II i
Is 10 exist and the captain has to please
the company. Some day ne does this once
too often. lie collides with another shir
IL fog. maybe. or runs on the rocks Per
hsps the natural love Of Ike or the thought
% a helpless family keeps him from delhi
erateiy going TO tne bottom with the shin,
bat he knows that his career is at an en,!
The hoard s's on the case. and II there Is
any evidence In show that tha accident
due 10 the carelessnesS Of tae COM
nandsr IL running al full speeJ in thick
weather. or whatever the ease may be-
h - reprtman3ef and his certificate sus-
pended fer some months at least. When
at last he gets the certificate back I, has
hole punched in II.
Now, let us suppose that he has been n
faithful servant of The company for a gooel
while. ana they Ike aim ana decide -
transfer hiin - another ship ard give him
a chance for existence. This new ship has
- be insured. NJ course. before she goes To
sra The underwriters make their exam
tnafton. ard in TIE course of their inut!if-e-
there GENES Up tn question az 10 ~ no Is
the captain II the ship When th=v h.4r
the name they MI prc' sbly say. WAY
Jet Us see lsn't he the man Wh9 Sank th.-
So-aut-Sos fes2 ph. We ean; takc anv
risks on 4 snip commanded BY can't
Hank Put another commander in ais
Ysace and IL VIA he all right
IRE company IS therefore -httwfsi ~
dismiss Capt BLANK f'Ben BE starts t,,it
- rnd another situation HIS certtTra.A
YOU remember, has hpe ia H. h lro,ss
30 see the oNters az anofArf Inc As so,,
a. {hrt nsAr hl~ name they say
o. 10. yes Didn't you command tha 81
an3-So~
-les commanded t9at hs.s.-
" ttUmue. Very SORRY. sAn.a.r htt ySa
haven't anything tusS uoW n ~ SF7,fy,s
hAFs suNt 1lHs ~ siU fa; v5u know
Fa!s scene Is repeated a. or,, <tfs. A,-,
Office after another. on tofa ;. les az m,
a&teE.'
TIE -sptaia leAne1 a.v elbows .r ,s.
tabs 'Ifo VII wonder ~ saft asse~ @,
FalSN "'haf svr*~s3lv whea & I.re- ss la
sst Reg eoE7 r3s fsier s..'t s1tl.,--sv r5t..
satsaf tiu mash w @rr IS e., asf.t
FtS.rs. rU ~ .~t EVERY disaster Men go.
cf, at ~tsi.ssa-t Is t.t4.fee-. 81. e. ts,s r.lr.t.
teat - ir hAU.- sr3 ra3 fhc curtain W.,
HnN N"+N 81 '.tt He -s ..GrG ~ F-