New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-22
THE BOTTIE-FILIFRS


THE BOTTLE FuLERS. ~ Edward Nobie. l2mo.
~ a. Breu'an0s
This IL grimly realistic picture OF
life at sea in tho tramp steamers OF the
British merchant marine. The author 3
first hand knowledge OF It's conditions,
its hardships and dangers IS unmis-
taxable. and. what IL still more 70 the
point. he has the ability TO visualize
that knowledge for his readers. Even
the verlcst landsman cannot fail 70 De
grippcd by his narrative; those who.
like him. have had experience OF tho
life will recognize his fidelity TO facts
in every chapter, in every line. Inc
lure Of the deep h. here, but under con
ditions that make its survival marvel,
even though part Of It's explanation -
the dire necessity Of earning llyelI-
hood by the only means familiar TO ITS
victims.
II was the late Frank T. Bullen who
first exposed the false tradition OF
Jacks happy. carefree LIE ashore ana
aboard Not In his Cruise or the
Cachalot." but in his later books. when
were not fiction. but campaign lot tne
better care and greater safety OF me
men who from the four corners OF the
earth bring wealth untold 20 Urea,
britain her "bottle-fllers." ms Dook
ia in a sense elimination or BuIen ;
accusations, an exposure OF Intolerance
conditions. defended upon the ground
of sharp competition by foreigners. II
conditions in the British merchant
marine-the great passenger liners eH-
cented- really "a bad az Mr.. NoDle
paints them, the time has certainly
come 70 mend them in the name OF n v
manitv. He might even more aptly
have called his book "Deck-Loads.'
For it is deck-load, yielding an
extra profit 20 his owners, when roses
Captain OWagan'5 first command
Great Britain has laws against suon
overlooking, but they apply only III he e
own ports. A British tramp steamer
NAV be overloaded in any foreign port
of the world. provided she discharges
the overload in some other foreign p.I'
before reentering home waters. AZ
cordlng 10 the author again, thelc -
no anpeal from the adverse verulct %
an official enquiry" into a hip"recH !
or. at least. it Is beyond the man Ia
resources Of the master mus orah ,I
a. incompetent. And, again accorulns
IN Mr. Noble, an adverse verdlc' ol'"s'
with il blacklisting by Lloyds'
This. then, is a book with seT,ou'
nurpose-an indictment OF Great WI,
ain's neglect of and injustice toward
,he men who man her ships ana com
nond them-an indictment also OF thee
owners. who underman and oVerloan
them. who juggle with the laws seer seer
s,olion nrofts regardless of human
i;fe and know how amply 10 protect
themselves against financial ioss, 49,
oven 20 make a profit out OF shipWrecH
itself Many an English noynell.5t mas
found bitter material for hctloh IN
those facts. Conan Doyle among Lu.
n,,,,ber. but again II must be SAID thst
"The Bottle-Fillers" is the culmina''o"
Of j., all. ..o and nor
Rut aside from It's purpose ana PEI
bons the authors indignation mas leu
KIM 70 draw too dark a picture ms i
a trimming story of a shipmaster whose
old tram steamer is pounded 10 PelI'
ton by her deckload. VINO u lounu
GUILTY of negligence and, by per.
;urei testimony, Of intemperahCe ~
- blacklisted and driven ny the
Correction Of his wife and child TO take
command Of another unsearortnE ttahp
sea,yorthv. that il. under BRUSH
lorgs but turned into death-trap Dy
orcrioading in foreign ports. On 'h. .
oocord trim his wife accompanies NM
ond together they perish. a po"erl".
niece Of writing, not unworthy a.
picture Of the sea. 20 find "a place 81.
,be shelf beside the best notion OF INV
dpeu