Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-02-16
LINERS LOST AT SEA.
A CAPTAINS STORY OF WHO - OF
TENEST TO BLAME.


Ocean Steamer Goes Down, Her
Commander IL Seldom to BE Found
Among Those Who rere Saved.
There's another side to this ques-
ton Of the criminal carelessness OF the
uomma nder which We hear 10 much
talk about whenever . liner is lost,
; id he captain Of big ocean steam
sili. she other day Its not the cap
tam who is really to blame in one case
Ut of ten even when ne is running bis
nip at full speed through fog. It's
ne pnblic that's to blame. and I'll tell
you how ii Is
ITO begin with, every body knows Of
he rivalry between the different lines.
Livery body knows what a difference
there is, III the estin alton Of the public,
oetween the rival heats Of the same
Trade which start at the same time aud
come in "a hours apart The man who
has travelled ty the boat that comes in
last is going to say to himself that next
lime lie Will 90 On the So and-so, which
must lie better boat. for didn't she
come i'll a day ahead of the one be came
IN?
THE captain of beat No. / is hero
t1r the time Icing, and the company be
tu!ks for mi es on him That he has
IN all the way at full speed through
avy seas aud fogs AID has taken all
l.nds of risks he knows. but he doesn't
- Oh onH tha
rany 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
list " hat Is i'll store for HIM before ne
,-narts at t Office OF his company.
This is about what he hears:
"'Why, how Is this, Mr Blank?
You cano in - hours behind the So
and-so What was tie 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 see your band
before your face, aud we had to run at
half speed all day.
'Ahemr ono Of the owners will
say. 'Aheml It's bad thing, Mr..
Blank, for Us to be beaten "a hours by
the So-and-so,
Captain Blank says no more, but
feels that he has heen reproved, and he
remember 1T On the next trip. The sea
may lie running mountains high and
the fog ay be so thick you can I see
the funnel from the bridge, but be is
bound to get III on tine this trip and
be does The owners Of the line smile
OH him So he knows what he is re-
quired to do aud goes on making record
trips.
1T is the PUBLIC, yen see. which the
company has got to please if it is to ex-
list, and the captain has TO please the
company Some day be does this once
too often He colldes with another ship
in fog, maybe, or runs on the rocks.
Perhaps the natural loye of life or the
thought Of helpless family keeps him
from deliberately going TO the bottom
with the ship, but he knows that his
career is at an end.
THE board sits on the case, and il
there is any evidence to show that tho
accident was due to the csrelessness OF
the commander in running at full speed
in thick weather. or whatever the case
may be, he is reprimanded and his GER
tificate suspended for some months at
least. When at last he gets the cortif-
cate back. it has hole punched In it.
Now let us suppose that he has been
q faithful servant Of the company for .
good while. and they like him and de-
eide to transfer him 10 another ship and
give him chance for existence. This
new ship has to be insured. Of course,
before she goes to sea. The underwriters
make their examination and in the
course of their inquiries there comes up
the question as to who is the captain OF
the ship
when they hear the name, they will
probably say: Why, let us seel Isn't
he the man who sunk the So-and sol
Yes? Oh, we can't take any risks on a
ship commanded by Captain Blank Il
Put another commander in his place
and it will be all right.
THE company is therefore obliged TO
dismiss Captain Blank Then be starts
out to find another situation His GER
tifirate you rem. mber, has hole in it.
He goes TO see the owners of another
lire As coon as they hear his maine
they say
"'Oh, yes. Didn't you command
the So.and-so?'
Yes. | commanded that boat.
"'Humph Very sorry, captain, but
we haven't anything just now. II we
should have anything, we will let you
know
This scene is repeated at one steam
ship Office after another Oh both sides
of the water.
The captain leaned his elbows on the
table do you wonder, he SAID after
a pause, that generally when liner
is lost nc sea her commander ism t among
the saved? Bat mark my words. " he add
ed, rising, lin almost every disaster,
when the cry of negligence is loudest,
it's the public that to blame AID not
the captain, who only does what he is
Obliged to do New York sun.
Meant what lie Said.