The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-11-13

ped. 1t has thousands Of agents,
spread over the seaports In every
quarter Of the globe, who are In con-
slant communication with the office
In London, which day and night
throughout the year is open for the
reception of news. Appointed by the
committee, carefully chosen for their
trustworthiness, these agents dispatch
every item of Information of interest
to the shipping community to LIoyd's
by the quickest possible route, tele
graphic or otherwise. The arrivals and
departures of vessels from the various
ports, the fact that they have been sig
nailed at sea, the occurrence of wrecks
and casualties, are known at Lloyd's
within an Incredibly short time,
shipwreck being often announced
within fifteen minutes of its happen
ing, while prior to the establishment
of telegaphs the government was
largely dependent upon Lloyds for
early news as to what was going on in
the various parts of the world. All
this intelligence thus gathered and re-
ceived Is at once embodied for refer
ence In the Index, gigantic com
pilation comprised In twelve folios and
kept for consultation In the reading
room Thanks to the Index, an under
only a matter of moments where and
In what condition is every vessel In
the British mercantile marine and
great number of foreign ships. Indeed.
the movements Of some 100000 craft
are chronicled in these volumes from
hour to hour by large staff. Side by
side with the Index is Lloyd's Cap
tains' Register, biographical die
tionary of all certiicated masters of
the merchant service, containing every
detail Of their careers since the time
they received their certificates. By or
der of the government, all information
that reaches the state registrar gen.
eral Of shipping and seamen is at once
furnished to Lloyd's, so that the die
tionary, In which over 10000 pages
are posted up In the course Of the year,
is as complete and as perfect as I'M
ceasing revision can make 1t. | may
add that there are about 10000 certifi-
Gated masters of the British mercan-
tile marine.
In classifying and registering ships
Lloyd's uses various marks and signs.
Thus ships in the first class are noted
by the distinctive marks "A l." But II
the ship is set down as "A at Lloyd's'
II means that the vessel is not In good
order and not a satisfactory risk.
Therefore the addition of the words ''at
Lloyd's" is n stigma of inferiority and
may be taken as an indication that
further information of detrimental
character will be furnished regarding
the ship In question ''at Lloyd's." II
would require too much space to give
In detail here the meaning of the varl
Gus letters and Authorizations used by
Lloyd's to designate the rating Of the
ship without exposing themselves ia
legal action by the owners, but / may
merely mention that the addition of q
Maltese cross signifies that the vessel
has been built under special survey
and is therefore particularly safe
risk.
On the ground floor In special room
h installed an inquiry Office, at which
the friends and relatives Of those that
go down to the sea in ships can learn
without charge whatever is known al
Lloyd's of the whereabouts and safety
of the vessels which carry their hus
bands, their brothers, their sons OF
their lovers. Close by is the chamber
of horrors" where the kilograms Civ.
ing details Of all disasters are posted
up, whence the name of the room.
Although primarily organized with a
view to marine insurance, Lloyd's ex
tends its operations to all sorts of other
risks. Indeed, it will underwrite al
most anything 1t will insure against
burglary, against its raining on GER
tain day. In fact, mere enumera
ton of the most curious risks would
be wearying task. When insurance is
effected at Lloyd's the procedure is diff
ferent from that of an ordinary insur-
ance company, for Lloyd's does not
insure as q body, the business being
done by Individual members. These
members split up the risk. Each takes
a small portion only, thus insuring sta.
bility by the extension and consequent
curtailment Of the risk as far as each
Individual is concerned. The names OF
these members are Endorsed on the
policy. together with the amount Of
risk undertaken. They are written on
the policy one under the other-hence
the term Of underwater. New York
Tribune.