The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-14
Issues a Warning to Shipmastefs
in Alaskan Trade.
they MUST BE MORE CAREFUL
Their Licenses VIII he Revoked III
They SAFER Accident While Rsn-
ming Wrangel Narrews Fall
speed IT Might ar In stormy
wessh~r-ssep In the Ins~ress 81
safety for the Travelling Pablie.

Following the announcement In wssnss-
days P0st-InselgiEsneer that soya. Of the
marine under writers had determined To
cease placing Insurance on vessels IN the
Alaskan trade comes another official pro-
nuncsam-nto equally Interesting and even
rs9rs startling. Yesterday United States
Inspector Of HnIss ". j Bryant issued
the statement that hereafter AIRY master
OF q weasel in Alaskan waters who allows
his ship 20 80 fun speed through the
wrangeI narrows. Pearl straits and other
rarrDw channels cf the inside passage II
the night or during stormy weather VIII
have his license revoked In case airy acct
canf besaiia his craft
Capt Rryaat's netsce has been served
on ali masters and pgists with masters
papers who are engaged In the Alaska
trade II L. stated Ia terms thai are
definite and certain The language u
Cars Eryants warning leads to the be-
lief that after this any master who suffers
a msahap TO his ship under the esrcufu-
stances named will have little hope for
. favorable hearing by tho government
Inspectors at this port.
Il: In in the interest Of the travelling
public. as wei as Of the ship owners and
underwriters. that have determined here
after 30 hold all masters 81 vessels IN
the Alaskan trade strictly accountable for
eli accidents that happen 20 the vessels
In their care said Capt. Bryant yester-
day The increase In Notwithstanding
bursts Of speed and hreak-nack runs be-
tween Seattle and Alaskan ports, together
with the frequency Of expensive accidents
has made some aetion b. the board of
inspectors absolutely necessary.
For th.s reason have determined that
hereafter any ship captain or pilot with
license as master In Alaskan waters.
who runs has vessel full speed through
Wrangei narrows. pesri straits or other
harrow channels in Alaskan waters, In the
night time or during SHOW storms or other
heavy weather. shall have h.s license re-
yoked II accident hefals his craft.
Il attribute part of the LOSSES sustained
By ship owners and underwriters IN Alas
kan waters To the desire 81 masters 10
make records for their vessels All that
II very good In say. and have NO fault
TO find with man who wishes 20 build
up the business ~ his employer. How
ever. there Il place 10 draw the line
and I propose 10 see that the line IL drawn
IN this case and hereafter rieiily observed.
Shipmastsrs who are IN the habit of
running the Wrafgel nafrows at night
under full speed will he cautioned against
the practice. Under such circumstances.
III accident results and IL Is shown that
the rule we have .naugGfased has been
broken. the license Of the master at fault
will be revoked. rou know what that
means
Serious accidents have Of late happened
to the steamers Tees. ptrigo and Topeka
The Insurance companies carrying policies
on these vessels have lost II Ia estimated
an aggregate Of s1s.Noo. Capt. Bryant evil
IDENTIFY believes that IL the masters OF
steamers In the Alaskan trade exercised
more care In navigating the inland pas
saEsa and cared less about making records
Ter their vessels. less damage would be
recorded during a year than now.