Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-05-05
NUMBER 4.3.
BLlZzAROS AT SEA.
They Cost the Hig Liners Between
S2,00O and $1,000 a Day.

They Cost the Big Liners Between
S@'ooO and $1,000 Day.
The question Of loss owing to the de-
lay Of the trips OF ocean STEAMSHIPS
during blizzard Ike that Of 1899 Is so
involved, having so many factOrs and
many Of these unknown to the pure
theorist. that an accurate estimate ls
impossible. IS ba;.cr Of bookkecp.
ing it is doubtful if the companies
themselves can figure their losses to a
dollar.
There are some elements, given quan-
titles in the problem, however, which
are known to every one. Figuring on
the basis Of these, we can understand
how a large liner can easily ,... -.
tween $1,CO0 and $1,000 a day by '....
Coal must be burned and food Ls...s
be consumed. The wear and tear of
the ship ana more important yet. the
use OF otter vessels IL freights are
brisk are other factors IN the complex
problem. The wages ~ the officers
and crew on some lii would not
count, as the officers rec. lated sal
aries and the men are ,; II ~ the trip.
Again, on many lines, WI wages
are paid after every voyage g are
based upon a monthly scale.
Nearly everybody knows that good
steaming coal in England and on the
continent costs about 50 a ton. In the
floating first class hotels, which all the
best liners are. il costs ut least So n day
to cater to the ordinary sea appetite Of
every passenger, and this whether the
traveller appears at table or stays
away.
1t is now easy 10 make a simple estl-
mate. The Paris dOcked recently three
days late. Her average coal consump-
tiOn in fair weather is 800 tons per day.
In rough weather it would be reduced
at least one-half.
The cost Of maintaining second cab
in passengers may be computed at
$3.50 or S2 a day and Of steerage pas
sengers at - cents n day. She brought
106 saloon. GG second cabin and lo3
steerage passengers. The table would
thus look like this:
Coal, $50 TONS at S3.....................s4 $50 90
Food, lO6 saloon passengers, at S3........ 3IS 90
Food, 66 second cabin passengers, at ST.. I32 %
Food lO3 stcerage passengers, ct 75c...... Il 25
Total loss for one day.................... $J7T 25
Cumputing the wear and tear the
loss Of the use of the ship and other
expenses, Of which the layman knows
lothing. it can be readily seen how the
oss would foot up to $1,000 day.
a steamship man who spent a life
ime in the business estimates that the
lelay Of the Paris and the Etrurla in
he blizzard of 1899 cost each Of those
hips between $1,000 and $1,000 a day.
4 ship which burns only 80 tons Of
,oal in headstrong weather, brings in
s saloon and l63 steerage passengers,
would expend about $3SG2j per day
or the items detailed. A weeks delay
would entail loss of 81, 703.75.
The managers Of the steamship COM
anies themselves say they do nor
now how much they lose.
In estimating the losses by tramp
tCugrsvr5 Il -.,i.-t4iI L. i----.- ~ mind
bat steaming coal for some classes Of
hips can be procured in England for
2 and even $3.50 per ton and that a
canaan or stoker can be supported for
shilling a day.
The loss Of charter through unex-
ected delay is a distinct consideration
J the problem and would not come un-
er general discussion.
If the subject Of profit and loss to
)nsignees Of cargo be considered, the
icstiOn has many ramllcations, which
yolye endless figuring and averaging.
case Of scarcity Of a commodity the
,nsignee gains By delay, but IN case
glut the consignee losses through
prolonged trip Of his freight.-Ban-
)r (AIe) News.